


Unsure

by Jb1979jb



Series: As it were [7]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mentions of miscarriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:07:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21721975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jb1979jb/pseuds/Jb1979jb
Summary: Ellie and Hardy realize new cases come with complicated histories.
Relationships: Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller
Series: As it were [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560109
Comments: 23
Kudos: 117





	1. Chapter 1

It was the metallic clattering that woke Ellie Miller up. Jolted from her sleep, she pulled her head up, taking in an abrupt breath. Ellie was confused for a moment until the clanging ceased, punctuated by a quiet "shit." It was only then she remembered that the term was over. Both Tom and Daisy were in the house for the next few weeks.

Ellie propped herself up on her elbows and looked beside her on the bed. Alec Hardy was still fast asleep, oblivious to the noise. It was the first time all of their children had been in the Dumfries house at the same time. They hadn’t been all together since the entire family had taken a holiday to Italy a few months before. They'd stayed in a villa in a tiny town overlooking the seaside. Most of their time there was spent alternating between trips to the beach or hours spent splashing in the villa's pool, much to the delight of the children and to Alec's chagrin. Late one afternoon, the entire family traveled to the town's city hall, where Hardy and Ellie were married in a quick ceremony, officiated in broken English by the local mayor. They retreated to a nearby restaurant for supper. The children left together after eating, wanting to explore a town a bit as evening drew in. Ellie and Hardy stayed behind, enjoying the boozy warmth of the restaurant's terrace, drinking up the wine and each other's company as the shadows grew long. Eventually, they trekked back to the villa, holding onto each other as they stumbled happily home. They arrived to find Fred, Daisy, and Tom, back in the pool, illuminated dimly by lights from the house. Ellie idly thought back to that evening, squeezed into the same lounge chair as Alec, who was inebriated enough to barely react when hit by errant water as the kids shrieked and splashed in the pool. Her daydream ended as she peered at the sliver of grey Scottish sky visible through the drapes. Italy seemed like a long time ago. Another metallic bang from downstairs was enough to motivate Ellie to get out of bed. She shuffled into her slippers and left her dressing gown untied over her pajamas as she made her way towards the racket.

Ellie entered the kitchen to see Daisy from behind as she stood on her toes to peer into the cupboard. Ellie watched in amusement as Daisy poked her way through the cabinet's contents, knocking a pan lid to the countertop with a clang. "Bollocks!" Daisy hissed before turning to notice Ellie behind her. Daisy gave Ellie a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

Ellie shrugged with an amused grin. "Had to be up soon anyway." She walked into the kitchen as Daisy hoisted herself up to kneel on the countertop, getting a better view into the cupboard. "What are you looking for?"

Daisy glanced over, pan lids in both bands. "Have you got a frying pan? I want to make eggs." Ellie hesitated and Daisy smiled at her non-response. "You have no idea, do you?"

Ellie shrugged with a laugh. "Sorry, love. You've used the kitchen more in the last few days than your father and I have in a year." Daisy snickered and turned back towards the cabinets as Ellie made her way into the kitchen. "How are you up so early?"

"My mate Audrey and I have been running before classes." Daisy's voice was somewhat muffled from inside the cupboard. "I have to be in class by half eight most days anyway... just got into the habit."

"Blimey," Ellie replied, picking up one of the mugs Daisy left on the counter. "You lot are probably the only ones awake at uni before seven." Ellie pulled a carton of milk from the fridge. "Care for some tea?"

"Sure," Daisy replied, pulling her head from the cabinet. She leaned sideways to peer out the window over the kitchen sink, looking into the back garden. "I meant to ask you..." Daisy gestured towards the garden, her other hand still holding onto the pantry door. "What's going on out there?"

Ellie walked over to stand next to Daisy's perch on the countertop. From the kitchen window, they could see into the garden. Ellie and Hardy had planted a Douglas fir in the previously grass-only yard, and over the past several months, Hardy had added numerous shrubs, flowers, and vegetables to the allotment. He took meticulous care of the garden. Ellie largely avoided the area entirely. "It's your father's hobby. He's got quite the green thumb," she replied with a shrug. 

"I never realized he was so interested in plants," Daisy said. Ellie didn't respond as Daisy looked back around the room. "Do we even have eggs?" Ellie glanced around the kitchen before answering Daisy with a raise of her brows. Daisy signed and hopped off the counter. "I'm going to get a coffee. Want anything?"

Ellie shook her head. "Thank you, though." Ellie sent Daisy off with an affectionate squeeze to the shoulder before retreating back upstairs. She kicked off her slippers and shrugged off her dressing gown before slipping back underneath the sheets. Hardy stirred at her movement, peeking his eyes open at her in the dim light. 

"You're up early," Hardy mumbled. He moved over to lay against Ellie's chest as he slung an arm around her waist. She looked up at the ceiling, stroking his hair.

"How could you have slept through the racket?" Ellie inquired with a snicker.

"What racket?"

"Daisy in the kitchen, intending to cook," she replied. 

"Why in God's name is she even up this early?" Hardy's tired voice vibrated against her collarbone.

"She and a mate are running before classes. Did you know you raised a bloody athlete?"

"Huh." Hardy didn't stir from his position. Ellie glanced down at him. "Well, I suppose there are worse things your kids can do," Hardy said before pausing for a long moment. "I've got to hand it to her. She has really turned things around."

"You did well," Ellie replied softly, running her fingers over the back of his head.

Hardy scoffed. "I really can't take any credit. Did my best to balls things up for years."

Ellie let out a laugh. "You make it sound as if you did it on purpose."

She could hear Hardy grunt against her. "Ignorance of my responsibilities was no excuse." He sighed, rolling to look up, fully lying back against Ellie's chest as he stared at the ceiling. She lay her hand against his forehead, pushing his bangs back. "I wasn't the father I should have been. I can see that now. I'm not going to shirk my responsibilities again. Not with Fred. And it wouldn't have happened with..."

Hardy trailed off, and Ellie didn't respond. Months earlier, Ellie had fallen pregnant unexpectedly, and miscarried late in her first trimester. Ellie still had mixed emotions about the experience. She's been anxious about the pregnancy, and sad about the loss, but was ultimately relieved that things hadn't progressed further. Alec had been much more excited about a new baby than she was. They had talked the situation over several times in the past few months, but Ellie was always hesitant to speak honestly and openly, and she suspected Alec felt the same way. Neither wanted to upset the other. Hardy volunteered to have a vasectomy shortly after, closing that chapter in their lives. The pregnancy didn't come up often anymore. Hardy threw himself into babying the plants in the garden and Ellie tried to forget about it. She knew they were both acutely aware that they'd reached Ellie's original due date. If things had gone differently, they would have had a newborn at this point. 

Ellie found herself suddenly uncomfortable and craved a distraction. She gently extracted herself from her position as Hardy's pillow, rolling onto her stomach and propping up to look at him. She again reached up to push back his hair as she kissed him. He reciprocated, reaching down for her waist to maneuver her on top of him. They continued to snog, deep and deliberately, silencing both their words and their minds. Ellie could feel Alec's arousal against her as she straddled him, which only increased her own. She breathed heavily into their kiss.

Hardy abruptly pulled away, hopping quickly out of bed, leaving Ellie to sit back on her heels. He silently clicked the lock on their closed bedroom door before returning to Ellie, pulling her shirt over her head and removing his own. She kneeled to reach him, still standing beside their bed. Ellie resumed the snog, pressing against his bare chest while running her hands over his flank. Hardy leaned down into their kiss, his hands flat against the skin of her back. Not wanting to be one-upped, Ellie stood on the mattress, towering down over Hardy's position on the ground. He couldn't help but laugh into their kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Bloody get down," he mumbled into her mouth. Ellie snickered as she straightened out, arms behind his neck. "Stay there, actually," Hardy said, staring at her bare torso. He moved his mouth to her breast, lavishing it as Ellie closed her eyes and gasped out. His hand moved from her waist to her other breast, stroking it as he continued his ministrations with his mouth. His hand left her breast and slid down into her pajama bottoms, touching her. Ellie reveled in the feeling until she felt too close to the edge. Not wanting to come alone, she pulled away to look at Hardy. 

"Lie down," Ellie ordered Alec breathlessly. She climbed down to the floor, pulling down his pajama bottoms as he followed instructions. She removed her own before climbing back on top of him, guiding him inside herself. Ellie stayed still at first, closing her eyes. She savored his fullness inside of her as she throbbed around him. She opened her eyes to look down at Hardy, who gazed up at her. Ellie placed her hands on his chest. "Christ, you feel bloody amazing," she breathed out. Hardy let out a guttural sound in response, grabbing her by the hips and pushing her even farther down. Ellie gasped at the sensation, overcome with almost primordial need for him, as much as him as he could possibly give, at that moment. "Fuck me," Ellie directed. Hardy maneuvered her back onto the bed, taking her position on top. His thrusts were purposeful and deep, moving steadily. Ellie clung to his back, reaching up to run her mouth over his throat. She could feel the vibrations of his own moans from his vocal cords. Ellie clung to his back as she came, unable to suppress her gasps against his neck. Hardy finished inside of her after a few more movements, collapsing against her contentedly. She wrapped her arms around him, holding his weight while he remained inside her. Ellie could spend the rest of her life in this very position. Pity it was a workday. Ellie finally craned her neck to look at Alec, who peered up at her. "That was bloody marvelous," she finally croaked out.

"Christ," Hardy muttered in seeming agreement. He looked dejectedly at the beside clock, still a couple of minutes away from the alarm. "Can't we just call in today?" 

Ellie shook her head. "We already wasted annual leave on getting married and spending quality time with the kids." She planted a kiss on top of Hardy's head before working her way back to a seated position. Hardy groaned as Ellie pulled her discarded dressing gown on. She made her way towards the ensuite, tying her sash. Hardy followed her in, not bothering to redress.

Elie wandered towards the shower. Before she could turn it on, Hardy was behind her, arms around her waist and kissing her neck. She had to smile as he worked his lips around to the side of her throat. Hardy's hands went for the belt of her dressing gown, untying it. Ellie let out a breathy laugh as she leaned back into him, feeling his erection pressing into her. "Up for more, are we?" she asked, reaching for the back of his head. His hands went back to her breasts, under her open robe. Ellie turned to face him, snogging him once more as she reached down to grasp him. He let out a sharp breath at her touch. Ellie continued to stroke him as Hardy pushed the robe off her shoulders, attaching his mouth to her collarbone. She pulled away from him, discarding the dressing gown completely and stepping into the shower. She grabbed Hardy by the hand, pulling him in with her before she turned on the water. They pressed together carefully under the spray, running their hands over each other as they kissed. Hardy was grateful for the tiled, bench-like protrusion of a shelf in the shower. It was an awkward spot for storing bath products and took up an irritating amount of space in the shower, but when the moment struck, it did work as a convenient, if not entirely comfortable, area for a shag. Hardy sat back as Ellie straddled him. He entered her before Ellie set the pace, maneuvering languid motions with her hips. Hardy ran his hands over her back and abdomen, once again turning his attention towards her slick breasts. His hand moved down between her legs to touch her as he licked and sucked against her nipple. Ellie hummed with pleasure, lips pressed together until a gasp accompanied her next orgasm. She rode Hardy with deeper movements until he followed with a groan. Hardy held her in place for a moment. Early morning sex for them was usually sleepy, a sweet eye opener. At that moment, Hardy felt like he'd already experienced a full day. Ellie broke the silence after a moment. "I'm bloody freezing, and I have tile marks on my knees," she said with a snicker.

Hardy groaned. "Fine. Back to reality." Ellie stood and offered him a hand, pulling him to a standing position. They resigned themselves to concentrate on their showers.

After a quick rinse, both returned to the bedroom to dress for the day. Hardy glanced over to see Ellie shrugging on her uniform. "No case load today?" he inquired, buttoning up his shirt.

Ellie shook her head as she glanced in the bureau mirror, pulling her damp hair back in a ponytail. "No, latest client was wrapped up yesterday and the matter is moving on to CPS. Might actually have to go on patrol today." Her phone beeped from its position on the nightstand. Ellie glanced at an incoming text. "Or not. I'm getting called in to CID." She gave Hardy a soft kiss. "Thank you for giving me something to think about for the rest of the day."

Hardy returned the kiss, before planting one against her forehead. His lips remained in place, and Ellie didn't move from position. They stayed there for a moment before Hardy cleared his throat. "You best be off before this turns into round three."

Ellie laughed before giving him another peck. "From your lips to God's ears." She departed the bedroom with a wave of her cap.

Knotting his tie, Hardy couldn't help but ruefully smile to himself as Ellie walked out. Life, work, raising children, marriage... none of these things were perfect. However, they did often hit the high notes. Especially the latter. Hardy pulled on his jacket to head downstairs. He had his own day to face.


	2. Chapter 2

Hardy finished dressing and headed downstairs to his kitchen. To his surprise, Tom was awake, groggily making toast. Hardy opened his mouth to inquire after Fred, but was interrupted by the lad's voice booming from the front room.

"I can't find my shoes!"

Hardy ducked his head into the front room to see Fred, dressed for school and in socked feet, peering underneath the sofa on hands and knees. Hardy looked back into the kitchen to see the errant shoes lying underneath the kitchen table, presumably where Fred had kicked them off the day before. He picked them up to walk back into the front room. "Mate... mate!" Hardy called. It took more than one attempt before Fred looked up. He bounded over happily, grabbing the shoes from Hardy and settling down behind the toast Tom put out.

Hardy watched Tom shuffle around the kitchen, hair hanging in his eyes. Nearly nineteen, Tom towered over the rest of the family, Hardy included. He and several mates shared a flat in Exeter, where he worked as a waiter. He seemed to be perpetually delaying full-time studies but seemed to be getting along fine. Of the three kids, Hardy found his relationship with Tom the trickiest. His dynamic with Daisy had always been different, of course, and Fred accepted him with the exuberance of a wagon full of Labrador puppies, but his relationship with Tom could be described at best as cordial. Hardy understood why, or thought he did. Tom had been nearly grown when Hardy and Ellie first got together, and had moved out shortly after. He still struggled with the aftermath of Joe's actions, and probably still resented Hardy on some level for the role he played.

Tom poked around the kitchen before squinting blearily at Hardy. "Have we got any eggs?"

Hardy glanced around before Daisy reentered, cardboard tray of takeaway cups in her hand. "No eggs," she answered for her father. "I asked Ellie earlier." Daisy handed Tom a cup. "Coffees, though."

Tom grunted a thank you as Daisy passed a cup to her father. "Tea for you... cocoa, Freddie!" Fred jumped up with glee to accept the small paper cup.

"Where's Mum?" Tom mumbled into his coffee.

"Left earlier," Hardy replied. "Got a shout." He assessed the older children with a raise of his brows. "Surprised to see the lot of you up this early." 

"Force of habit," Daisy replied.

"Daisy is bloody loud," said Tom.

Daisy rolled her eyes at Tom over her coffee as she scrolled through her phone. The screen caught Tom’s attention. He suddenly looked far more awake.

“Who are they?” Tom asked, gesturing with his cup.

“My friends,” Daisy replied, scrolling.

“In Leeds?” Tom’s eyes were wide. “Christ, that’s what your mates look like?”

“Bloody hell,” Daisy huffed. “You’re slobbering on my screen.”

”I’m transferring to Leeds,” Tom replied, fishing his phone from the pocket of his joggers. “What’s your Snapchat?”

Daisy groaned melodramatically as Hardy rolled his eyes. “Well, Fred and I have places to be,” he said. “And lucky you, mate, half term begins tomorrow and then you get to spend your days with these happy daftys.” Fred cheered unironically as Hardy let out an uncharacteristic laugh. As he ushered Fred out the door and towards the car, Hardy couldn’t help but feel warm. It was nice to have everyone back.

Ellie entered CID to find it in its usual early morning frenzy. She spotted Martin, her boss, in his office talking to Karina, a DS. He gestured Ellie over through the window. Ellie entered his office, closing the door behind her.

”We’ve got a young woman downstairs in interview room six,” Martin told Ellie. “She’s Gretchen Vox. Her mum’s with her now.”

”She’s 19,” Karina continued, “And a uni student. She was at a party with some mates last night and thinks she may have been sexually assaulted.”

”Thinks?” Ellie inquired.

”She said she’d been drinking quite heavily,” Martin answered. "Woke up in her flat, sore, with bruising she couldn’t explain and some items of clothing in disarray. She has some hazy memories of last night.” Martin looked between Ellie and Karina. “I’d like you two to interview her, see what you can find out.”

It wasn't long before Karina and Ellie joined Gretchen and her mother in the interview room. Ellie's heart broke for both of them as she looked between their stricken faces. Gretchen looked pale and numb, while her mother tried to remain stoic, her eyes giving her anguish away. Karina gently led the interview, as Gretchen recounted the details.

"...At one point, I was on my stomach," Gretchen said. "I could feel someone on top of me. They were pushing my head down. I was looking to the side. My neck still hurts." She winced. "But I'm not sure... I think I was in a car. Like, lying on the seat, looking up. There's a bruise on my back. I was on a seatbelt or something. I could see the person, but I couldn't really see his face, though." Gretchen shook her head. "But I thought I was inside, though, like in a house." She trailed off. "I don't know," Gretchen said softly.

It was well into the afternoon before Ellie and Karina finished the interview and escorted Gretchen and her mum to the local SARC for an exam. Ellie considered the information as they waited for the medical team to finish. Was it possible that Gretchen mistook a car for the interior of a house, or vice versa? Or was she assaulted twice? With the interview wrapped up, and samples sent to the lab, Ellie knew that their next steps largely depended on any information that forensics could provide.

Ellie and Karina eventually made their way back to CID. Ellie was in the midst of reviewing possible CCTV locations that may have picked up some of Gretchen Vox's movements the previous night, when her mobile beeped. Ellie picked it up to see a message from Hardy.

Bad news.

Ellie was concerned. She quickly typed back. 

What?

Morrison's having a housewarming party and he's invited us for dinner.

Ellie snorted to herself before picking up the phone to ring Hardy. He answered straightaway. "I think you and I have different opinions on what constitutes bad news," Ellie told him.

She could hear Hardy groan on the other end. "You know I'm rubbish at these things. Please say we don't have to go."

"We're bloody well going. It would be rude not to."

"Fine," Hardy replied with a sigh. "You get to do all the socializing, though. I'll just have a drink and let you talk."

"Who knows," Ellie said with a snicker. "Maybe you'll enjoy yourself."

Had harrumphed over the line. "What was your shout this morning?

"Likely sexual assault," Ellie said with a sigh. "A young woman in university."

"Christ," Hardy replied.

"I need to get back to chasing down CCTV footage. Talk later?"

That evening, Hardy was sat at the kitchen table with Daisy and Fred, who was bursting with excitement over his school break. Tom stood at the counter, preparing dinner. Hardy looked up to see Ellie entering.

"Hello, all," she announced. Fred jumped from his seat to wrap his arms around her waist. She returned the squeeze with a kiss to his head before she assessed the kitchen. "Where did you get the food?" she asked Tom.

Tom looked blankly back at her. "I made it?" he replied, almost as if he were inquiring.

Ellie seemed shocked. "How do you know how to cook?"

Tom shrugged. "The guys in the kitchen at work showed me some stuff." He carried a pan over to the table, scooping out portions onto the waiting plates. "I made a spinach and feta frittata and some seasoned potatoes. There's fettuccini alfredo, too. I made it for Fred, because he hates eggs." Fred solemnly nodded in agreement.

'I though we didn't have eggs," Ellie replied, still slightly stunned.

Tom rolled his eyes. "I bought them, Mum."

Ellie laughed. "Well, there's me astonished." She walked over to Tom and planted a kiss on his temple. He groaned in protest. "This smells amazing, lovely. Just going to change my clothes and I'll be right back."

Ellie walked into her bedroom and began removing her uniform. She heard a brief knock at the door before Alec entered. She greeted him with a kiss before turning her attention back towards changing.

"Any news on the sexual assault?"

Ellie shook her head. "Just waiting on some queries for CCTV and results from the lab. Going to approach a few people tomorrow, see if there are any potential witnesses." 

"What happened?" Hardy sat on the edge of the bed as Ellie as Ellie pulled a sweater over her leggings.

"A student was at a party, had a lot to drink, may have been assaulted twice - once in a house, the other in a car."

"Christ," Hardy breathed out. Ellie moved to sit next to him.

"Yeah," Ellie agreed. They sat in silence for a moment before she glanced up at him. "How was your day?"

"Uneventful," Hardy said with a shrug. "Bloody looking forward to dinner Saturday night."

Ellie snickered. "You'll be fine." Hardy ran his hand over her thigh affectionately for a quiet moment. Ellie watched his hand move before speaking. "I had no idea Tom could cook."

Hardy moved his hand from Ellie's leg to the back of her neck. She closed her eyes to enjoy the ministrations. "I had no idea Daisy was a runner," he replied.

Ellie hummed in reply as he continued to run his hands through her hair. "Are we shit parents?"

"A bit shit," Hardy said. He planted a kiss to Ellie's temple. "C'mon, let's go remedy that." Ellie snorted with laughter as Hardy led her out of the bedroom by the hand, down to their three waiting children and a pan of frittatas.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Ellie and Karina made their way to the Vox family home. Gretchen had her own flat, but had elected to stay with her parents since the night of her attack. Ellie couldn't fault her. The Voxes had been unwaveringly supportive of their daughter, and Ellie was grateful for it.

Karina and Ellie were sat with Gretchen in her front room. Her mother had distributed mugs and gone upstairs, giving them space to talk. Gretchen was hunched over inside herself, wrapped up in an oversized hoodie and a pair of grey joggers. Ellie tried to reassure her with a smile, and Gretchen returned a ghost of it.

"What we're hoping for today," Karina began gently, "Is to get an idea of your movements the other night, If we can establish where you were, and who else was there, that will help us with our next steps."

Gretchen nodded, shifting uncomfortably on the sofa. She looked into her tea. "My mate, Brianna, came to my flat to get ready before the party. We had a couple of glasses of wine before we left."

"How did you get to the party?" inquired Karina.

"Walked," Gretchen answered. "It was about a mile away, but it was a nice night and we were both in high spirits..." Gretchen trailed off.

"Where was the party?" asked Ellie.

"It started at a flat in this block by the Nith," replied Gretchen. "Some friends of Brianna's that I don't know too well. We had a chat and a few drinks, but it was getting a bit dull. There weren't many people there, so we decided to set off for a pub down the street. The Crow and Steeple," she clarified. "Brianna's mate, Chelsea, came too. We got there, and we ran into some mates of Harrison, my ex."

"How recent of an ex is he?" Karina asked.

Gretchen hesitated and sighed. "We've been dating for a year, more or less." She paused again. "I don't know if we were really dating, more like hooking up. We've broken up a lot. I was getting to the point where I'm really fed up with his shit, and I thought we were off for good, but I saw him a few nights ago and... well, we had sex again."

Ellie nodded. "What are his friends like?"

Gretchen shrugged. "They're okay. I mean, they're his friends, not mine. It was awkward seeing them. Brianna's keen on this bloke, Joseph, so we did talk to them for a while. Had a couple of lagers there. Chelsea got a text from this guy she's been talking to from an app. He invited her to his mate's house for another party, so we went."

"Harrison's mates," Karina began. "Did they come, too?"

Gretchen nodded with a sigh. "Yeah. Brianna invited them, because, well... Joseph. We all took the same taxi to the party."

"Where was this house?" Ellie asked.

"I'm not sure," Gretchen said softly. "Honestly, at that point, I was pretty drunk, and it was one of the blokes who called the taxi and paid for the trip. And when we got there... one of those arseholes must have called Harrison, because he showed up, too." Gretchen stopped for a long moment, looking down at the carpet. "I was angry that he was there. I just wanted to go out, meet new people, have fun... I had more drink, and that's when things get really hazy. I remember being in the front room with Brianna and Chelsea, and the next thing I remember, I was pinned to the floor. I could see an open wardrobe or something to the side. I was on my stomach and someone was on top of me, pushing my head to the ground." Gretchen sniffled, wiping away a few tears. "But then all I remember was being in a car. I think I was on my back, in the backseat. I could feel a seatbelt buckle digging into my back. It really hurt... there's still a huge bruise. I know someone was having sex with me then. It was dark, and I couldn't see his face, and I really don't remember much..." She had to steady herself with a few deep breaths before moving on. "The next thing I remember was waking up in bed, in my flat... I still had my shoes on. There were a couple of buttons missing on my skirt. My neck and back were killing me, and I was so sore..." Gretchen trailed off. "I went to call Brianna, but I couldn't find my mobile. Still can't. I just wanted my mum at that point, so I drove here, and she called the cops, and..." Gretchen shrugged, eyes cast down.

Karina and Ellie let Gretchen have a moment before Karina continued. "Have you got details for any of the people who remember seeing that night?"

Later, Karina and Ellie pulled up to the station just as Karina's mobile chirped. She turned off the ignition before answering. "Roger, thanks for getting back to me..." Ellie sat in the passenger seat, listening to Karina's limited end of the conversation as she felt her own phone vibrate. She fished it out to see messages relaying on the family group text. Tom alerted Ellie and Alec that he and Daisy were taking Fred to the pool. Hardy answered with a series of messages back.

Don't forget to give Fred his medication at noon, with food, otherwise he'll be bouncing off the walls.

He needs to have it before 1330 or he won't sleep tonight.

You two have ninety minutes to not balls things up.

After a pause, Hardy added for good measure:

Have fun.

Ellie snorted with laughter as Karina wrapped up her phone call. "That was the lab," she told Ellie. "They found traces of latex. Condoms were used in the attack. No semen, but two samples of male DNA were detected."

Ellie raised her brows in surprise. "So the attacks in the car and the house could have been two different men?"

Karina rubbed the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes wearily. "Could be. Bloody hell." She released her nose, sighing. "Well, time to mobilize. Let's get CCTV and taxi records, and I'll send out DCs to hunt down those mates from the other night."

Later that evening, Hardy walked into his bedroom. He and Ellie had both returned home from their respective stations to a dinner of crab cakes and salad prepared by Tom. The older children eventually retreated to their bedrooms - still rather spartan, due to their limited time in the new house - and Hardy put a sufficiently exhausted Fred to bed. He closed his bedroom door behind him as he looked in on Ellie, who was lying face up in bed, scrolling through her mobile.

"What are you doing?" Hardy inquired, sitting on the edge of the bed while reaching over the rub Ellie's shin.

"Trying dating apps," she replied, still scrolling. Hardy's hand stilled on her leg as he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Tired of me already?" he asked.

"Ha," Ellie replied. Hardy stretched out next to her in order to get a look at her screen. "Just trying to understand it all. Gretchen Vox and her mates use apps to meet people. It sounds like a lot of kids their age are interested in just hooking up." She moved the screen to let Hardy get a better look. "I just snapped a picture, looking a wreck, all my bio says is 'I'm married' and already I've matched a dozen times and gotten two messages. It's all too easy, really."

Hardy looked up at the screen. "When I tried it, seemed like a lot of bloody work at the time."

Ellie laughed and settled against Hardy's shoulder, mobile still in the air. "I forgot about that. Should have come to you, you're the expert." She looked up at him. "How successful were you?"

Hardy shrugged, reaching up to swipe the app. "Maybe went out with half a dozen women, only one that ended up being a relationship. Lasted a couple of months.” He showed the screen to Ellie. “You've matched again."

Ellie released the phone to Hardy as she reached over the wrap her arm around his waist. "Bloody hell, are you swiping right on every bloke? Be a bit more discerning, love."

"They all look really young," Hardy said. "What age range did you set?"

"Don't think I did," Ellie replied. 

"Well, you've just matched with a 23 year old. Congratulations." Hardy stilled for a moment. "Um, Ellie?"

"What?" she asked. Ellie squinted at the mobile before gasping. "Oh, bloody hell. Tom's on there?!"

"Is it bad form to swipe left on your own child?" Hardy asked, snickering.

"That's it," Ellie said, taking the mobile from him. "I'm deleting the app." She clicked around before placing the phone on her nightstand. She curled against Hardy, who wrapped an arm around her back. "Is this what dating is for people their age?" Meet someone, have casual sex? I mean, do they sleep with someone intending to take it to the next level, or is at as it is?"

"We could go ask Tom," Hardy said, rubbing her back.

"Laugh it up. Daisy's probably on there, too."

"Blimey," muttered Hardy.

"Maybe I will ask them ," Ellie replied. She paused. "It would probably kill them from embarrassment if I did, though. But is it possible to build a relationship strictly on a foundation of shagging?"

Hardy shrugged against her. "We did, didn't we?"

Ellie considered this. "It's not the same thing, is it?"

"Well, what other option would we have had?" Hardy replied. "What were we going to do, go out to dinner and get to know each other? Sex was the only boundary we hadn't crossed at that point."

"True," mulled Ellie. "But we had a history, a long one. We didn't just match on an app and go at it."

Hardy hummed in agreement, reaching up to run his fingers through Ellie's hair. He planted a kiss to the top of her head as she held him closer. "Wouldn't have changed a bloody thing," he murmured into her hair. Ellie pulled herself up so they were face to face. She kissed him, holding the moment for a long while. Hardy reciprocated, moving his free hand to her side. They continued to snog, their movements relatively gentle. Ellie reached for his belt, undoing it as they kissed. She slipped her hand inside his trousers to stroke him. Hardy groaned into Ellie's mouth at her motions. Ellie's other hand moved up to unbutton his shirt before she gently pushed him back onto the bed. She pulled down his trousers before leaning in to service him. Hardy lay back, closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation. He always appreciated the warm up, but today, Ellie kept going and soon later, pushed him to finish. He gasped out, satiated, but eager to return the favour. He maneuvered up, pushing her back into the mattress while kissing her neck and unbuttoning her blouse. He removed her trousers before lavishing her. In a few minutes she came as well, breathing out and shuddering against him. Ellie pulled Hardy up for a deep snog. They held each other, both still partially dressed. As Ellie kissed Hardy and pushed off his unbuttoned shirt, she could feel his arousal against her. She reached down again to touch him, coaxing him along. "Oh Jesus, yes," he muttered at her ministrations. Ellie once again pushed him back down, climbing on top of him and guiding him in. She leaned down as she moved, hands on his chest, and kissed him. Hardy returned the kiss enthusiastically, reaching up to grasp her breasts over her bra. One hand moved between her legs, the other staying in place to pull the cup down to free her breast. Hardy came once again, breathing out "Christ" as he continued to touch Ellie. She kept moving for a few moments before reaching her second orgasm as well.

Ellie climbed down to once again curl up against Hardy, who wrapped both arms around her and pressed another kiss to the top of her head. She almost laughed to herself. Maybe building a relationship on a foundation of sex wasn't always a good idea, but theirs seemed to be a bloody great one.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Ellie stopped by the Vox house to check in on Gretchen before returning to work. She entered through the front door of CID in time to see Karina and another DS walking a glum looking young woman towards the exit. Karina and the other detective sent her off with a handshake as the young woman sulked towards the car park. Ellie looked over at Karina inquisitively. Karina gestured for Ellie to follow her. She walked after Karina into an empty interview room.

"That was Brianna McGregor," explained Karina.

"Gretchen's mate?" Ellie asked.

Karina nodded. "And rather upset, too, because, in her words, 'Gretchen and Joseph hooked up' at the party."

Ellie raised her brows. "Meaning what, exactly?"

"Brianna lost track of both of them at the do, said she opened a bedroom door and saw what she thought was the pair of them shagging. She said she closed the door quickly and left with Chelsea soon after."

"Christ," Ellie exhaled. "Did Brianna know what actually happened?"

Karina shook her head. "I don't think so, but I think we're onto some leads."

Just then, a knock came to the interview room door. A DC poked his head in. "Cab company phoned," he told Karina and Ellie. "They've got the details of the trip, including the address of the party. A Joseph Collins was the one who ordered the taxi and paid for it, using a credit card. Also, we've got the CCTV footage from Gretchen's block. You may want to see this." Ellie and Karina followed him out of the interview room and into the media centre. The DC pulled up the camera footage from the building front entrance. A dark-coloured sedan pulled up in front of the block. Moments later, the passenger door opened, and Gretchen Vox walked out on shaky legs. She stumbled for the front door as the car pulled away. Ellie and Karina watched a few moments longer as Gretchen struggled to find her key card before opening the door and walking haphazardly inside.

"Bloody hell," Ellie said softly. "I'm surprised she was conscious enough to walk herself inside."

"We ran the plate off the car," the DC said. "It's registered to a Harrison Dulwich."

Karina's brows raised. "The ex-boyfriend?"

Ellie nodded. "That's the one."

"I want to talk to this Harrison bloke," Karina said curtly. "As well as the mate who had this so-called hookup." She turned towards the DC. "Let's get those two to the station," she ordered. "And I'd like an update on what's happening with the officers at that party house." The DC nodded and left the room to follow up. Karina turned to Ellie. "I don't know if I should be elated we're getting somewhere or horrified this happened in the first place."

Ellie shrugged. "Let's go with both." The pair followed the DC out of the room. As the pieces fell together, they knew they'd have much to sort through.

As the day progressed, CID exploded with activity. Karina was called to the party house when Harrison Dulwich arrived at the station. Ellie was sat at her desk, catching up on some older case files, when she heard Martin, her commanding officer, calling her.

"Ellie, I'd like you to sit in on this interview, given your familiarity with the case," Martin told her. Ellie nodded as she followed him into the interview room.

Harrison Dulwich was a good-looking young man in his early 20s, clean cut with a lean, muscular figure. Ellie couldn't get a read on him as they sat down. He didn't seem angry, or nervous, or give off any overt emotion. He was maddeningly neutral as he recounted the same details of his relationship that Gretchen previously told Ellie. The two had dated about a year, heavily on and off, with frequent breakups. Their relationship was more sexual than romantic. They'd had a difficult time getting alone lately.

"Harrison, where were you four days ago?" inquired Martin.

"I was at work in the morning," Harrison replied. "And met up with some mates that night."

"Where did you and your mates meet up?" Martin asked.

"It was at some party," said Harrison. "I don't even know whose house it was. My boys went with some girls. One of them knew the person throwing the party."

"What happened at the party?" Ellie asked.

Harrison shrugged. "It was just a normal do. We had drinks, played darts, talked, regular stuff."

"What about your mates? Anything unusual happen?" Ellie searched Harrison's face for some clue, anything, that she could use. Nothing.

Harrison hesitated. "Brianna and the other girl left in a state. My other mates, Chris and Reggie, were just being normal idiots. Trying it on with some birds, not really getting anywhere."

Martin leaned in. "What about Gretchen?"

"What about her?" Ellie could sense some tension on Harrison's face.

"She was at the party, wasn't she? Your mates phoned you to let you know. And you didn't mention your friend Joseph. What did he get up to that evening?"

Harrison's expression was beginning to sour. "Gretchen was completely pissed. She was drunk before I even got there. She could hardly talk. It was embarrassing."

Martin seized the opportunity. "Why did you think she was embarrassing? She's your ex, after all. What's she got to do with you?"

Harrison scowled. "You don't get it. Gretchen had no idea what was going on. She was acting like a total slag."

Ellie raised her brows. "Like DI MacArthur asked, what does it matter what your ex-girlfriend does or doesn't do on a night out?"

Harrison huffed, sitting back in his seat. "Why are you having a go at me? I didn't leave like her mates did. I actually drove her home."

"That's not all you did, is it?" Martin asked. His eyes bore into Harrison. "What happened in the car?"

"Why the fuck do you bloody care?" Harrison roared at him. Ellie knew that Harrison was reaching his breaking point.

"You said yourself Gretchen had no idea what was going on," she said sharply. "And yet you had sex with her in the backseat of your car, didn't you?

"It doesn't matter," Harrison snapped. "She fucked Joseph at the party earlier. Brianna left angry, and I looked in the bedroom where she'd been and saw Joseph taking Gretchen from behind. She'd been shagging my friend and she's my girlfriend, so what difference does it make?"

"She's your ex-girlfriend, and you're right, it doesn't make a difference," Martin retorted. "You forced sex on a woman too drunk to consent. Harrison Dulwich, I'm arresting you on suspicion of sexual assault. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense..."

"So, that's as it was," Ellie recounted to Hardy the next night, as she drove them through the darkness. "Two eyewitnesses saw Joseph having sex with Gretchen at the party. Uniform found a button from her skirt in the bedroom. We sent the sheets from the bed to forensics, so fingers crossed that they find samples of both of their DNA. We got a warrant to search Harrison's car. Still waiting on forensics to see what they could pull from the seat cushions, but we did find Gretchen's mobile underneath the car seat. Must've fallen out of her bag at some point. It definitely proves she was in his car that night, as does the CCTV footage. There were enough witnesses at the party to give evidence that Gretchen was extremely drunk. Hopefully if it gets to trial, it will be enough that Harrison and Joseph's barristers can't argue that the sex was consensual." Ellie shrugged. "But we have both of those bastards in custody, and now it's up to CPS."

Alec reached over to give Ellie's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Well done," he said.

Ellie looked grim. "I just hope it's enough for justice to get served." Hardy didn't reply, but moved his hand to rub Ellie's back, at the base of her neck. She continued as she made a left turn. "I mean, this kind of stuff makes me worry. There are girls out there doing normal stuff, hanging out with mates, going to parties, and they're assaulted by these blokes they know who don't think twice about whether or not it's okay to have sex with someone who's too pissed to know what's going on." She gave Hardy a quick sideways glance before looking back towards the road. "I mean, does it make you nervous?'

"Nervous how?" Hardy asked.

"For Daisy," replied Ellie.

Hardy groaned. "I don't want to think about it," he replied.

"I don't either," Ellie exclaimed. "But we have to. Maybe we should sit them down together and have a proper talk again, about safety and consent and the like."

"if it's important to you..." Hardy began.

"It is," Ellie replied curtly. Hardy watched the side of her face as she looked out towards the road. After a moment, she continued. "You just can't be sure, can you?"

Realization sunk in. "Love, Tom isn't Joe."

"I know that," Ellie snapped. She paused before sighing. "I didn't think Joe was Joe either, but here we are." Neither said anything for a moment before Ellie glanced around outside. "What was the house number again?"

Hardy checked his mobile. "36."

"There it is." Ellie pulled up to the curb and turned off the car. She turned to look over at Hardy. "Look, I'm sorry."

Hardy shrugged. "I'm not easily offended."

Ellie had to laugh. "It's just this case. Everything's sorted, but neither of those blokes thought they'd actually done anything wrong. I just don't want ours thinking the same way."

"We'll have the talk with them," Hardy replied. "But first," he gestured towards a neighboring house. "Torture."

Ellie snickered. "It's a housewarming do, it won't be that bad."

"Why can't we just go home and be together and not be stuck..." Hardy scoffed. "...Socializing?"

Ellie leaned in. "I will make sure you have fun in some way, shape, or form." She leaned in to plant a languid kiss on Hardy. "Move your arse." He grabbed a bottle of wine and followed her up the walk with a sigh as they approached Morrison's new home.


	5. Chapter 5

Bottle of wine in hand, Ellie led a reluctant Hardy up the walkway. Voices and laughter wafting from the silhouettes behind the drawn blinds proved the do was in full swing. Ellie knocked on the door. After a few moments of no response, she opened the door and led them both inside.

Many people were scattered around the front room, chatting, with drinks in hand. Ellie and Alec scanned the room for familiar faces, when Karina noticed them from her position on the sofa. She waved them over. Hardy and Ellie maneuvered their way through the crowd as Karina stood up. She greeted Ellie with a quick embrace before gesturing to her companion on the couch.

"Elle, this is my husband, Rodney. Rodney, this is Ellie Miller. She's a family liaison officer at work. This is tall bloke." Karina gestured her drink at Hardy before turning back towards Ellie. "What do we call tall bloke?" It was apparent Karina was a few drinks in.

"Um, this is my husband, Alec Hardy." Hardy nodded in greeting as Rodney shook his hand.

Karina gestured her empty cup at Ellie. "Refill," she said to Ellie, grabbing her by the arm and leading her off.

Hardy was momentarily lost as Ellie was dragged off, unsure of what to do without her as a social security blanket by his side. He wracked his brain to conjure up some small talk for Karina's husband, but was mercifully interrupted by Morrison first.

"Sir! Thanks for coming." Morrison offered his hand for Hardy's second handshake in a matter of moments. "You look uncomfortable."

Once again, Alec couldn't think of anything to say so he just nodded in acknowledgment. Although he would never admit to it, Hardy was somewhat grateful that Morrison wasn't afraid of him, unlike many of their colleagues, also present at the do.

"I see you met Rodney," Morrison continued. He gestured around the room. "As for everyone else… Um.. they're your subordinates, you may recognize them from CID... over there are some mates, neighbors from our last place... this is my partner, Stanley." Morrison held a tall, bespectacled man by the bicep. "He's probably the only person who wants to be here less than you." Morrison gestured his glass among the men. "Drinks, gentlemen? I've got a bottle of malt open in the next room, aged 21 years."

"Um, sure. Ta." Morrison walked away as Hardy shifted uncomfortably. He looked over at Rodney and Stanley. "So... what do you both do?"

"I'm a barrister," replied Rodney, adjusting on the couch. They both looked over at Stanley.

"Um, accounting," Stanley replied. None of the men said anything before Stanley cleared his throat. "So... you're..." He gestured towards the other room. "Geoffrey's boss?"

"Aye." Hardy nodded. He realized at that moment that he hadn't remembered Morrison's first name." "He's, um... good to work with."

"Well... that's good," Stanley replied.

"Yes..." Hardy was internally cringing. This was excruciating. "Last two DS's I worked best with... well... I married them both."

Rodney snickered, and so did Stanley. That was enough to break the ice. Morrison returned, tumblers in hands. He looked among the other men. "What?" Morrison asked as he distributed drinks.

In the kitchen, Karina stirred scotch into sodas and handed a cup to Ellie. "Cheers," Ellie said, raising her glass to Karina. Karina picked up hers.

"To us," Karina replied. "We got two more arseholes off the street." They clinked their glasses together and took a sip. 

"You did brilliant work on this case," said Ellie. "Really smashed it."

"Thank you," Karina grinned. "Couldn't have done it without you." She glanced around the room and leaned in towards Ellie. "I'm going to let you into a secret."

"Oh?" Ellie took another sip. Karina had mixed a strong cocktail. 

"The precinct in Cargenbridge has a DI position open, and well... I'm applying," Karina told Ellie in a low voice.

"Congratulations, that's fantastic," Ellie replied. 

"I think it's time," Karina said. "To start looking at the next steps." She took another quick glance around the kitchen. "Could I put you down as a reference?"

"Of course," Ellie replied. "I'll miss having you in CID, but I do hope you get the position."

"Me, too," said Karina. She gave Ellie an inquisitive glance. "You were a detective, right? Before you moved to Scotland?"

"Um, yeah," replied Ellie.

"Why the change?" Karina asked, sipping her drink.

Ellie hesitated. She and Karina were work mates, and although they did know quite a bit about each other, Ellie hadn't told her - or anyone else in Dumfries - about what had gone on in Broadchurch. The whole sordid story was just a Google search of Ellie's name away. She realized anyone in CID could have known about Joe, or Danny, or anything that happened, but so far, they were discreet if they did. "Well, like you said, change, next steps, things like that. With the move, it seemed as good of a time as any."

"Karina!" a voice behind Ellie called out. She was grateful for the distraction as they both looked up towards the source.

A woman Ellie didn't recognize walked over to envelope Karina in a hug. "Bloody hell, Cora, haven't seen you in ages!" Karina exclaimed, returning the embrace. She released Cora and gestured at Ellie. "Ellie, this is Cora Finley. We were uniform together ages ago." Karina turned back towards Cora. "How do you know Geoffrey and Stanley?"

"I don't, really. Glenn works with Stanley. He's here, too." Cora looked over at Ellie. "My husband," she clarified. "It's our first night out in ages. Glenn!" Cora called out. A man walked into the kitchen, car seat in one hand. He set the seat down as Cora gently pulled a small baby out. "This is Calum," she told Ellie and Karina. "Three weeks old."

Ellie smiled politely at Cora and the baby. She willed her face not show her apprehension. 

"Congratulations!" Karina said with a grin. "Oh, he's gorgeous."

Cora cradled the baby with a few sways. Her husband gave her elbow a gentle squeeze. "I'm going to find Stanley," he told her. Cora nodded, turning back towards Ellie and Karina.

"How is your lot doing?" Cora asked Karina.

"Good," Karina replied. "Ryan's twelve, plays football constantly. Bella just turned nine, hates school."

Cora laughed. She turned to Ellie. "Have you got kids?" she asked.

"Um, yeah," Ellie replied. Her self-consciousness as gnawing at her.

"I need the loo," Cora said, shifting the baby in her arms. She handed the baby over to Ellie. "Could you...?"

"Erm -" Ellie began, but the bairn was in her arms before she could speak. Cora scurried away towards the bathroom. Ellie held the baby awkwardly before she could see a flicker of realization cross Karina's face.

"I'll take him," Karina said quickly. Ellie was grateful as she handed the baby over. "You've got your hands full with your drink, eh?" Karina gave Ellie a smile. Ellie tried her best to return it. 

"Thanks," Ellie murmured. "I'm gonna go see if I can find Alec." Karina nodded as she bounced the baby. Ellie departed the kitchen, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in her gut.

A few hours later, the do began to wind down. Ellie and Hardy said their goodbyes before heading out. They climbed back into the car. Ellie started the ignition with a deep exhale. "Bloody hell," she muttered. "You were right, we should have skipped that one." She pulled away from the curb.

"I didn't think it was that bad," Hardy replied. Ellie looked over with surprise. Hardy shrugged. "What? Stanley and Rodney were actually interesting. Did you know Rodney served two tours in Iraq?"

"I didn't," Ellie said. "Glad you had fun."

"You didn't?" Hardy inquired. Ellie looked ahead. "What's going on?"

"Did you meet Cora or Glenn? Don't remember their surname."

"Who were they?"

"The ones with the... you didn't see them?"

"The ones with what?"

Ellie shook her head. "Nothing." She quickly glanced over at Alec, who raised his brows at her. "They had a small baby. Three weeks old. You didn't see him?"

"Oh." Hardy paused. "I didn't see any baby, no." Ellie kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Hardy looked over at her. "You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," Ellie said, unconvincingly. "It was... just weird, a bit." The atmosphere inside the car turned uncomfortable. Hardy reached over to brush some of her curls from her shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Ellie shook her head.

"No, really... it's fine."

They soon arrived home. Hardy and Ellie walked into the house to find Daisy and Tom sprawled out on their sofas, watching telly and scrolling through their phones. "Alright?" Alec inquired, looking in. Daisy glanced up, leaning her head back to get a better look at her father. "How did the lot of you get along this evening?"

"Good," Daisy replied. "We had a Chinese delivered, and Fred fell asleep a couple hours ago. How was the party?"

Alec shrugged. "You know... a party." Daisy snorted before turning back towards her mobile. "Goodnight, the pair of you," Hardy called into the room. Both Daisy and Tom halfheartedly returned the wish, distracted by their devices. Ellie turned to head up the stairs, Hardy on her heels.

Hardy closed the door behind him as Ellie kicked off her shoes and began undressing. She busied herself, leaving her jumper on top of the bureau and pulling off her jeans to deposit them in the laundry hamper. Hardy sat at the edge of the bed, watching her back as she pulled on pajama bottoms and rummaged through the drawers for a top. Ellie glanced back, to see Alec's eyes on her. "What?" she inquired, pulling the shirt over her head. Ellie walked over to join him on the edge of the bed. "You look..." she began, trailing off. Unsure of what to say, and not really wanting to talk, Ellie deflected the best way she knew how. She leaned in to plant a kiss on Hardy. He reciprocated, and they stayed locked together for a long, languid moment. They went in deeper, picking up speed, as Ellie placed her hands on Hardy's chest while he reached around to hold her. Ellie pushed away to pull Alec's jumper over his head, slinging it over the end of the bed post before her fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt. She slid her hands inside his open shirt as she resumed their kiss. Hardy pushed his hands under the back of her shirt, lying back and pulling Ellie with him. She stopped to pull off her top before climbing on top of Hardy to continue their snog. He gently maneuvered Ellie to her back and stood up to remove his open shirt and kick off his trousers. Hardy pulled off her pajama bottoms before climbing back on top of her. He worked himself inside of her. He kept a deliberate pace, moving slowly and deeply. Ellie held onto his back as Hardy reached up to push her hair from her face. He leaned in to run his mouth over the side of her jaw and down her neck. His other hand caressed her breast and ran down her body to stop between her legs. Ellie closed her eyes to relish the feeling, moving one hand up to the back of Hardy's head. He continued to touch her until she could feel the orgasm roll through her. Ellie clung tightly to Hardy, gasping out. He moved his mouth to meet hers, groaning against her as he finished. After a moment of come down, Hardy moved himself to lie sideways against Ellie's chest, arms around her waist. She reached up to embrace his head against her beating heart.

Hours later, Hardy blearily awoke to the sound of his mobile buzzing. He looked over groggily, carefully extracting himself from under Ellie’s arm, who grumbled at the disruption. Hardy grasped at the nightstand until he made contact with his phone. "What?" he muttered to the caller, half awake.

"Sir," the caller said. "It's Terrence from the front desk. We just got a shout from St. Luke's Hospital. A young woman was found by her flatmate in bed, beaten and unconscious. She's in A&E now. We need you down here straightaway."


	6. Chapter 6

The sun was barely illuminating the near-deserted Sunday morning streets when Hardy arrived in the St. Luke's carpark. A&E was a contrast to the sleepy morning outside. Officers were everywhere, with medical staff in full swing and a handful of patients waiting. Hardy scanned the room until he caught the eye of a uniformed officer, who gestured him over.

"Sir," uniform greeted him.

"What's happened?" Hardy questioned.

The officer sighed. "It's bad. The victim is Naomi Schiffman. 20 years old. Her flat is in a student housing block. She and her flatmates had a party last night. After the do ended about half four this morning, one of her flatmates walked into their shared bedroom and found Naomi bleeding and unconscious in bed." The officer shook his head. "She sustained a massive beating. Broken noise, lacerations al over her face, head injuries. It's brutal." The officer gestured towards a pair of doctors standing in reception. "They asked to see you as soon as you came in."

Hardy left the officer with a nod and walked over to the doctors. "I'm DCI Alec Hardy, Dumfries Constabulary," he told them, offering over his badge.

"I'm Dr. Thomasin," one greeted him. She gestured towards her companion. "This is Dr. Denton."

Hardy nodded in acknowledgment. "You're both treating Naomi Schiffman?"

”Aye,” Dr. Denton replied. “She was brought in about two hours ago.”

”How’s her condition?” Hardy inquired as he pulled a notebook and pen from his jacket.

Dr. Denton looked grim. “Not good,” he replied. “Our biggest priority has been making sure she’s stable and assessing her head injuries. She’s had a CT scan and we’re seeing bleeding in her brain. The surgical staff is prepping the theatre now. They need to go in to relieve some of the pressure on her brain.”

"Any initial observations about what may have happened?" Hardy asked them. Dr. Thomasin sighed.

"She was definitely bludgeoned with something that had a straight edge. We think..." Dr. Thomasin trailed off. "We think that she may have been sexually assaulted with the same object. We called the medical recovery team down to get what they could during her treatment," she continued. "I and a member of the team have been approved to be in theatre during the operation, in case anything comes up. They were able to get some initial photographs and samples."

"Paramedics had to cut off parts of her clothing, but the response team bagged everything Naomi came in with," Dr. Denton added. "We'll remit to you what we have. A more thorough examination will take place after she's out of theatre." Both doctors looked downtrodden.

Hardy didn't feel much better than they looked. "Where is Naomi now?"

Dr. Denton led Hardy and Dr. Thomasin down a small hall. They peered through a window into a treatment room. Naomi Schiffman was a mess of bandages and tubes, nearly invisible in a hospital bed. A middle-aged pair stood off to the side of the room, looking distraught. "Her parents," Dr. Thomasin clarified.

"Has Naomi been conscious at all?" Hardy asked.

Dr. Denton shook his head. "It could be awhile before she is. It depends on the extent of her injuries. We'll know more after surgery." He glanced up to see some orderlies approaching. "Looks like it's about time." He turned towards Hardy. "We'll be in touch." Hardy shook both doctors' hands before departing.

Hardy's next stop was the house of Naomi's flatmate's parents. Lauren, her flatmate, had returned to the family home after discovering Naomi in their flat. Lauren was shaken up after the events of the morning, and tearfully the details of the previous evening. She, Naomi, and two other flatmates had thrown a party at their's. Many friends and block residents had come in and out during the do. Lauren entered their shared bedroom early into the morning after the party, only to find Naomi bleeding profusely in bed. Hardy wrapped up the interview and started on towards the crime scene. Dejected, he decided to check in with Ellie. Hardy rang her over his car's Bluetooth as he drove.

"All right?" Ellie answered.

"How was your morning?" Hardy asked.

"Can't complain," Ellie replied. "Slept late and Tom made crepes. I'm still eating them. Pretty bloody ideal. What was your shout?"

"University student was attacked in her bed. Sustained a brutal beating and was likely object raped."

"Christ," Ellie responded. After a brief pause, she continued. "How are you holding up?"

Hardy sighed. "It's bloody vile."

"Any leads?" Hardy could hear dishes clacking in the background.

"No," he responded. "It apparently happened during a party in a packed flat in a student housing block. We've got loads of guests and building residents to sort through." Neither spoke for a long moment before Hardy continued. "Still fancy a sit down with Tom and Daisy?"

"You've changed your mind," Ellie stated.

"Aye..." Hardy sighed. "It's just..." He trailed off.

"We can do it this evening," replied Ellie.

Hardy pulled into the block's car park. "Alright, gotta go sift through the victim's flat."

"Good luck," Ellie replied. "I love you."

Hardy had to smile to himself. "Me, too." He ended the call and walked into the building, not feeling particularly optimistic. Reception was crowded with officers and curious students. Hardy spotted Morrison across the room and shuffled his way through the crowd.

"Sir," Morrison greeted him. Hardy could smell the coffee in Morrison's extra-large takeaway cup. Morrison called down the lift. "We've just pulled CCTV footage from the cameras in the building. I sent it back to CID with uniform. All the students who live here enter with key cards. Guests sign in at the front desk. We're getting access to both records, but it looks like there were upwards of 200 residents present here last night and maybe 50 or so guests signed in." The lift dinged opened and both men climbed inside. They were deposited onto a storey even busier than reception. Morrison and Hardy walked past officers speaking with students and SOCO hauling baskets of supplies. "Thanks for coming last night," Morrison called from over his shoulder. "You made quite the impression on Stanley."

"Thanks for having us," Hardy replied. "It was... fun."

Morrison raised his brows. "You know, I actually believe you when you say that." They stopped in front of the open door to a flat. "We're just here." Hardy and Morrison stopped to adorn themselves with gloves and shoe covers before entering. SOCO crowded the room, shifting through bins, and taking photos. They walked down a short hall towards Naomi and Lauren's bedroom. Hardy froze at the sight. The room was fairly tidy. The decor and belongings scattered about reminded Hardy of Daisy's various bedrooms. Naomi's bed was still neatly made, save some ruffling of the covers. Her pillow, and much of the bed, were soaked through with blood. A fine spray peppered the adjourning wall. The metallic smell hung in the air and stung Hardy's nostrils.

"Christ," Hardy breathed out. Morrison nodded grimly. Hardy looked around the room from their vantage point at the door. Clothes were slung over the bed frame, and a few scattered pairs of shoes had been kicked off at some point. Unplugged fairy lights and many tiny Polaroid pictures decorated Naomi's half of the room. Hardy moved in to study some larger photographs. On them, Naomi grinned out, dressed for golf. She posed with many other young women in collared shirts and golf skirts, standing on rolling green courses. Hardy noticed a large bag filled with clubs sandwiched between the base of Naomi's bed and her desk. A shelf over her desk boasted many gold trophies.

"Naomi's apparently very talented," Morrison clarified as Hardy looked over the trophies. "She plays on the school team, and was offered a substantial scholarship, according to her parents." Morrison shook her head. "I hope she's able to recover from all of this, make it back on the course eventually."

A SOCO officer stepped into the room behind them. "Sir," he said to Hardy. "We found this." He pointed a white-gloved finger at the shelf of trophies. Hardy peered over to see a faint square outline in the small scattering of dust covering the shelf. "Something's gone. Nothing else appears to be missing." SOCO gestured towards Naomi's belongings. "Her laptop and tablet are here, her bag still has her wallet with credit cards and cash, mobile's here too, as well as her jewelry box... This wasn't a robbery."

Hardy sighed. He looked back at the outline on the shelf. It was relatively small compared to the other prizes surrounding it. "Was this a trophy?" he inquired.

SOCO shrugged. "Could be. Doesn't appear anything else was even moved."

"The medical staff at St. Luke's think he was assaulted with something that had a sharp edge," mused Hardy. He turned towards SOCO. "See if there's anything else you can get from the trophies. Drops of blood, fingerprints, anything that could get us a lead." SOCO nodded before Morrison and Hardy stepped out of the room and started back towards CID.

Hardy was drained as he pulled in front of the house that evening. The house seemed to glow against the day's waning sunlight. Hardy paused in the car as he looked over the house’s illuminated windows. It was the first time all five of them had been in the house at the same time. Daisy and Tom had visited previously - albeit separately - for a couple of long weekends here or there, but the majority of the time only he, Ellie, and Fred were home, and things were relatively quiet - or as quiet as they could possibly be with Fred there. The recent shift in dynamic was a bit mad, but Hardy appreciated it. With Tom and Daisy pretty much grown, Hardy knew that these moments were probably in short order. He walked through the front door, greeted by the smell of dinner, lights on all over the house, a telly playing somewhere, and Daisy and Tom talking a mile a minute from the kitchen. Ellie peeked her head out from the front room at the sound of the door opening.

"How did it go today?" Ellie asked as she stepped out, arms extended. Hardy willingly fell into her embrace, pushing his face into the side of her neck while Ellie wrapped her arms around him.

"It's a bloody disaster," Hardy mumbled. "This woman's bed was soaked through with her own blood. The scene is a logistical nightmare as well. There could have been upwards of 250 people in that building at the time. CCTV only monitors areas around the lift. The flatmates didn't even know every person at the do that night."

"Christ," Ellie responded, moving one hand to the back of Hardy's head. He closed his eyes at the feeling of her fingers through his hair.

"The chief super is handling this as a public safely threat," Hardy said into Ellie's neck. "Expect a lot of media attention."

Ellie moved her hands to Hardy's flank and gently pushed him away to get a better look. "How are you holding up?"

Hardy shrugged. "It's bloody vile. Who does this sort of thing?"

Ellie didn't have a response for him, so instead leaned in to plant a kiss again his lips. Hardy reciprocated, pulling her close. They shared a languid snog in the entryway, until Tom interrupted, poking his head out from the kitchen.

"Dinner," Tom stated, disappearing back into the kitchen. He looked back out, pointing a disapproving finger at Ellie and Hardy. "Get a room."

"You do you think pays the mortgage, young man?" Ellie called out towards Tom. She scoffed, turning back to Hardy. "Come on." She squeezed his hand before both retreated into the kitchen. "Bloody hell," Ellie said with a look of shock as she assessed the spread on the table. "Tom, you made all of this?!"

"I helped!" Daisy protested from the counter.

"Well done, you two," Hardy said, sitting down. Tom set plates out in front of him and Fred.

"I picked the aubergine from the back garden. Do you mind?" Tom asked Hardy. Hardy shook his head.

"No, glad you're getting use out of them," he replied.

Ellie's fork paused above her plate. "You grew these?" she asked Hardy. He nodded in response, taking a bite. In her peripheral vision, he could sense that Ellie's expression briefly soured, but she didn't say anything further. The family continued their dinner, chatting idly about the details of their days. Hardy didn't contribute his. After a while, Fred began to get wiggly, and Ellie released him to play. Fred shot out of the room as Ellie raised her brows at Hardy. It was time.

Hardy cleared his throat. "Um, we both want to, er... speak with you two, about, erm..."

Ellie let him search for words for a long moment before stepping in. "Consent. Sexual safety."

Daisy and Tom let out corresponding groans. "Bloody hell, seriously?" whined Daisy.

"Yes," Hardy said sharply. "Ellie and I have both been dealing with this at work. There are some right arseholes out there, and we want to make sure you two don't get involved in that shite."

"Mom, trust me," Tom said. "You've hammered this into me for years. I'm not going to try it on with any bird who seems uncomfortable or drunk or high or something. Every girl I've ever been with had enthusiastically - soberly - wanted..." Tom gestured at himself. "...All this." Daisy rolled her eyes as Ellie leaned against the table, head in her hands.

"Gross," Daisy sneered at Tom before turning to her father. "I don't really drink much, Dad. And I stick with my friends when we're out. You two are worrying too much."

Ellie opened her hands in bewilderment. "We do worry, though, that's our job. And drinking doesn't always have something to do with it. Sober people get assaulted. People get attacked by those they know and trust." She looked between Daisy and Tom. "What about your mates?'

"What about them?" Tom asked.

"Do you have any concerns about them? About who they spend time with? How they respect other people? Do you see them pushing other people's boundaries, making risky choices?" Ellie questioned. "You've got to look out for your friends as well, be vigilant."

"We do look out for our mates, and I'd like to think that Tom and I aren't making friends with arseholes, Ellie," Daisy replied. "May I please change the subject?"

"Just... promise us you'll both be mindful," said Hardy. "And you'll talk to us."

"We will," responded Daisy. She paused. "In other news, I'm going back to Leeds for a couple of days this week."

"Oh?" questioned Hardy.

"It's my mate Caitlyn's birthday," Daisy replied. "We're all going out to celebrate." She gave Ellie and Alec pointed looks. "In a completely safe, responsible way, with no knobs allowed. I'll take the train down."

"I'm coming, too," Tom said quickly.

"Like hell you are," Daisy responded.

"Joke's on you," said Tom, pulling out his mobile. "Moira invited me."

"What?!" Daisy took the phone from Tom and gasped at the screen. She handed the mobile back to Tom. "You've been talking to my Moira?" she asked pointedly.

Tom raised his eyebrows with a smile. "My Moira now. Five day Snapstreak," he responded with pride.

"Fucking hell!" Daisy exclaimed. "She knows you're 18, right?"

"Yep," said Tom with a grin. "I quite like a cougar."

Daisy scoffed. "You cannot be serious."

"I am serious," Tom said. "I actually do like her, you know. Haven't even looked at Tinder in three days. And she invited me up." Daisy and Tom looked over at Ellie and Hardy, who were both amused by the exchange.

"Have fun, you too," Hardy said with a chuckle. Daisy groaned dramatically as she began clearing plates.

"Thank you," Tom replied. He looked over at Daisy's back. "And don't get on Moira's case. No sense in harassing your future stepsister-in-law."

"Christ!" Daisy hissed from the sink.

Neither Alec nor Ellie could suppress their laughter. Tom and Daisy did genuinely get on, and they knew both were taking the piss a bit. At least, they hoped so.


	7. Chapter 7

Ellie knocked on the Vox's front door for the second time in a row that morning. She could hear a television and some voices from inside, but no one was answering. Ellie knocked again, more firmly. This time, footsteps approached, and Mrs. Vox opened the door. “Sorry for the wait, Officer,” she told Ellie. “We’re a bit preoccupied this morning.”

Ellie smiled. “All right?” she inquired as Mrs. Vox held open the door. “How’s Gretchen doing?”

Mrs. Vox shrugged as she closed the door. “It depends. She’s had a lot of ups and downs.” Ellie nodded as Mrs. Vox gestured towards her front room. Gretchen was sat on the sofa, watching telly. “Gretch,” her mother called softly. Gretchen looked up to see Ellie at the door. She muted the television with the remote control, setting it next to her.

”Good morning,” Ellie greeted her with a smile. Gretchen returned a ghost of one as Ellie joined her on the opposite end of the sofa. “Just wanted to come by and check in, and let you know what to expect as we hand off your case to CPS.”

Gretchen nodded before her eyes returned to the silent images on the TV screen. “Have you heard about this?” Gretchen asked Ellie, picking up the remote to turn the volume back up. A news programme detailed Naomi Schiffman’s attack. Ellie and Gretchen watched as exterior footage of the student housing block was intercepted with a picture of Naomi, grinning from a golf course.

”Do you know her?” Ellie asked. Gretchen shook her head.

”She’s mates with some mates, apparently,” Gretchen replied. “Don’t know if I’ve ever met her.” She didn’t speak for a moment. “I’ve been reading articles about what happened to her. Makes me bloody mad.”

“That’s understandable,” Ellie replied. She glanced over at Gretchen, whose eyes were still glued to the television. “Have you had a chance to make contact with your ISVA yet?”

”Yeah, she rang me and we met yesterday,” Gretchen said, still fixated on the news. “Seems nice and everything.” Gretchen gestured at the screen. “I cannae believe this happened to someone else.” She shook her head.

”...We joined Dumfries Police, who earlier issued a statement on the attack,” the presenter on telly narrated. Ellie sat up with a bit more notice as Hardy appeared on the screen, sat behind a table and in front of a constabulary backdrop.

”Right now, we’re sorting through CCTV footage and talking to those who were present in the flat and the building that night,” Hardy told the unseen bank of journalists and photographers. “If you know anything or saw anything, I urge you to contact the police at once. We have concerns for the public’s safety, and we want justice for Naomi Schiffman.”

Gretchen unconsciously shook her head as she watched. “What happens if no one gets caught?” she asked Ellie.

”Even if it takes time, the police won’t drop the matter, I promise you that,” Ellie told Gretchen.

“But I keep Googling articles and statistics,” Gretchen replied. “Most cases, nobody gets arrested. Mine was totally unusual, apparently.” Gretchen gestured to Hardy’s image on the screen. “Like, how can we trust that this guy is any good?”

Ellie glanced back over at Hardy’s face. “Well... That’s my husband, so I promise I won’t stop irritating him until the case is solved.”

Gretchen raised her brows at Ellie. “Really?” she asked as Ellie nodded. Gretchen suddenly chuckled to herself. “That’s rather fitting, isn’t it? The cop in my house is married to the cop on my telly.” Gretchen went quiet, the smile fading from her lips. “That’s the first laugh I’ve had since...” She trailed off. Ellie’s heart broke for Gretchen. As they both watched the news report, Ellie willed that Naomi receive justice and Gretchen receive peace of mind.

After the press briefing, Hardy's day exploded into a frenzy of activity. Dozens of officers were dispatched to hunt down party guests and take statements. Many more were sat at their desks, watching and rewatching CCTV footage, taking notes and printing off stills. Hardy was often called over to review something that seemed potentially promising, but at the end of the long day, no concrete leads were coming together.

Hardy was just about to call it day when Morrison knocked on his office door, accompanied by another DS. "Sir," the other DS greeted him. "We have medical forensics for Naomi Schiffman."

Hardy gestured them in. The two DSs sat opposite Hardy at his desk, stack of forms in hands. "So, she was sexually assaulted with the same object that was used in the beating," Morrison said grimly, flipping through the papers. "They didn't find any evidence indicating she'd had intercourse that night, forced or otherwise."

Hardy looked over the forms. "Could the object have been whatever was missing from Naomi's trophy shelf?" he asked.

The other DS shrugged. "Forensics said it was a possibility, but they couldn't be certain. It was the right size, had the same 45-degree angles that matched her wounds. Looks fairly likely." She handed another paper to Hardy. "They examined the trophies remaining on the shelves to see if they could get anything off them. Naomi's DNA, of course, and several other fingerprints, but nothing that stands out as significant. Anyone at any point could have been in her bedroom looking at her trophies for any period of time before then."

"Here's some potential god news, though," said Morrison, gesturing to a page. "Forensics found blood and tissue under Naomi's fingernails that weren't hers. The DNA doesn't match anyone in the database as of yet, but she definitely would have left a mark on whoever they came from."

"Well done, Naomi," Hardy said softly to himself as he looked over the forms. There were still maddeningly few leads on the case, but all Hardy could do was hope the new developments would start pushing them on the right path.

After Hardy conversed with his chief and the media officer, the decision was quickly made to publicize the attacker's potential injuries, in the hopes that someone may recognize him. Hardy listened to the local news on the radio as he drove home. They detailed Naomi's story, and implored the public once again to come forward if they knew anything. Hardy sighed as he exited the car and started up towards the house. It was late, and Hardy walked into a more quiet, subdued house than he had in the past several days. He greeted Tom, who was sprawled out on the front room sofa, tablet in hand. Tom raised a hand in acknowledgment, never losing focus on the device.

"Is that you?" Hardy heard Ellie call out from the kitchen. He walked in the direction of her voice to see her sat at the kitchen table, drinking tea and scrolling through her mobile.

"Hope so," Hardy replied. "Don't know who else you'd be expecting at the wee small hours." He leaned down to greet Ellie with a kiss. She returned it from her seat at the table, reaching up to stroke the back of his head.

"Tea?" Ellie asked. She stood up to rummage through the cupboards as Hardy sat down. "How did it go today?" she questioned, pulling a mug and a plate from the cabinet. 

Hardy sighed. "Not brilliant," he replied. "We know that Naomi was beaten with the same object used in the assault, and forensics found someone else's blood and tissue under her nails."

"Good on her," Ellie replied, pulling tupperware from the fridge. "We ate a while ago. Tom made lasagna. Fred went down about half nine." She popped the container into the microwave.

"Where's Daisy?" Hardy asked.

"Her bedroom, last I saw," Ellie replied. She set the lasagna and a cuppa in front of Hardy. "Oh, nearly forgot, I did talk to Fred's mate Carson's mum. She said he can come to their's during the day while Daisy and Tom are in Leeds." Ellie once again took her seat next to Hardy at the table.

"It's gonna be quiet round here again," Hardy said, taking a bite. He raised his brows in surprise at the taste. "Wow."

"Bloody seriously," Ellie replied, commandeering the fork for a bite. "I don't know how Tom does it."

"How was your day?" Hardy asked after Ellie relinquished the fork.

Ellie shrugged. "I was in CID, mostly. Paperwork and CPS. I went round to Gretchen Vox's this morning. She's been following Naomi Schiffman's case and is quite disturbed. She kept asking what happens if no one is caught. We did catch your media briefing, though. Well done."

Hardy snorted in response, cutting off another piece of lasagna with his fork. "I don't blame her. Can't be easy to deal with what's happened while Naomi's case is uncertain and splashed large in the media." Hardy finished eating and cleared his dishes. "I'll drop Fred off at his mate's tomorrow morning. Their house is on the way to the station. Tom and Daisy's train leaves at half nine."

"Thank you," Ellie replied. She stood to walk up behind Hardy, who was washing up at the sink. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, leaning against his back. Hardy dried his hands on a cloth before grasping Ellie's. He raised her hand to his mouth to kiss the inside of her wrist, leaving his lips there for a long moment. Ellie straightened out to move to kiss the side of Hardy's neck, standing on her tiptoes to move to his whiskery jaw. Hardy turned to face Ellie. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and kiss him soundly. He returned it, reaching for her waist and pushing her firming against him. Both were so caught up in the moment, they nearly forgot where they were - and who else was home. Ellie pulled away. "Tom," she whispered, pointing in the direction of the front room. Hardy nodded. Ellie glanced down at the front of Hardy's trousers. "Maybe take yourself upstairs," she said quietly with a snicker. Hardy scoffed. "I'm going to say goodnight to Tom," Ellie told him. She leaned in again to snog Hardy deeply, pressing against him while running her hands over his flank. She backed away with a glean in her eyes.

"You're bloody awful," Hardy sneered as Ellie laughed. She popped into the front room as Hardy quickly headed to their bedroom, thankful that Daisy's door was closed. It wasn't a moment before Ellie joined him, shutting and locking the door behind her. She walked up to Hardy and gazed up at him. Neither made a move for a moment, just sharing a long look for a languid moment. Finally, Ellie reached her hand to the side of his face, running it up against his jaw and back through his hair. Hardy's hands reached for her shoulders, stroking down her sides and resting at her hips. Ellie stilled at the base of his neck, placing her opposite hand on Hardy's arm. There was something to be said about just standing, looking, touching almost innocently, despite both of their intentions. 

Hardy was the first to break the tranquil moment. He leaned in, pulling Ellie closer, as he kissed her neck. She closed her eyes as Hardy ran his lips over her throat and down to her collarbone. His hands made their way to the buttons of her blouse as hers went for his belt. Hardy straightened to push off Ellie's open blouse as she undid his trousers and reached inside. He didn't move a moment as she touched him, just pausing to enjoy the feeling of her. Ellie moved in closer, still stroking Hardy, as they resumed their kiss. Hardy reached behind her to undo the clasp of her bra before pulling down the straps to remove it completely. They continued to undress themselves and each other, touching and exploring, taking their time and relishing each other without any urgency. Hardy stopped to take a quick glance around the room. "Bureau," he ordered quietly. 

Ellie didn't need to hear it twice. She pulled him over by the hand, hoisting herself on top of the set of drawers and pulling Hardy closer. She grasped his back as he worked himself inside of her. They moved together, touching each other with their hands and mouths, drinking it all in. Ellie moved her hand down between her legs to push herself along. Hardy came first, pulling her in as he did. As he came down, he reached his hand to meet hers, adding pressure. Ellie didn't last much longer, soon gasping out.

They stayed in position a moment longer before Hardy leaned down to plant a kiss on the top of Ellie's head, letting his face rest against her hair. She gently stroked up and down his arms before pulling away and glancing around. "Genuinely quite shocked this thing didn't make a racket," she said, patting the bureau. Ellie hopped down to plant a quick kiss on Hardy. "Well done," she said, before retreating into the ensuite. Hardy stood alone, naked, in the center of his bedroom before he shook his head and followed her in.


	8. Chapter 8

The morning found Hardy standing in the back garden, watering his plants. The number of late nights he was spending on the Schiffman case prevented him from getting home in time to properly tend to the garden, and he didn't want to neglect the effort he'd put into growing everything. Hardy had a hard time concentrating as he pulled a few errant weeds. His mind was on Naomi Schiffman. CID had solidified a fairly reliable list of people who would have been in the block that night, but it was a long one. They knew from CCTV footage and those they'd interviewed so far that many partygoers would have been in and out of Naomi's flat that evening. The best piece of evidence they had was the yet unmatched DNA samples from under Naomi's nails, and the hope that she'd manage to mark her attacker. Naomi still hadn't regained consciousness after her head injuries, and was still in critical condition. If she didn't improve, Hardy thought grimly as he coiled the garden hose, they would not only be looking for her attacker, but her killer.

Hardy brushed a bit of soil from his hands as he surveyed the garden. Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel some pride as he looked over his handiwork. The fir, several rosebushes, and a variety of vegetables made up the tidy garden. Hardy looked over the lawn, considering the possibility of ripping part of it out to grow a few more trees along the fence. The back garden was plenty big enough to keep expanding. He considered the possible implications of recruiting Fred to participate in its planting and maintenance. Hardy knew that Ellie had a bit of a phobia of the space - in one of the few proper rows they'd had since relocating to Scotland, she'd referred to the garden as his "bloody cemetery" - and he was a somewhat hesitant to find out how she'd react if he started teaching Fred about gardening.

"ALEC!" Talking of Fred. Hardy could hear the lad calling his name through the closed double-paned windows. Hardy reentered the house through the back door into a surprising amount of activity for the morning hour. Daisy and Tom were sat in the kitchen, looking half-awake over their toast and tea. Fred tore in from the front room.

"Alec! I can't find my Switch!" Fred screeched. Hardy winced involuntarily at the timbre of his voice.

"It's got to be somewhere, mate. We'll check upstairs. Did you take your medicine yet?" Fred shook his head fervently. "Alright, first things first." Hardy poured Fred a glass of squash to wash down a Concerta. The tiny pill had made a world of difference for Fred's happy school career in Dumfries versus the path of destruction he'd left behind in Broadchurch. "You're going to the sleepover, too," Hardy told the bottle in his hand as Fred shot away. "Or else Carson's family may not be so keen to invite Fred back." Tom snorted with barely awake laughter into his cuppa as Hardy slipped the pill bottle into Fred's backpack.

"We'd better leave soon," Tom muttered, taking his dishes to the sink. He gave them a quick rinse before loading them into the washer and shuffling out of the room. Hardy turned towards Daisy, still chewing on her toast. 

"You excited to see your mates?" Hardy asked Daisy as he poured the kettle. Daisy nodded in affirmation.

"ALEC, IT'S NOT IN MY ROOM!" Fred yelled from upstairs.

"Keep looking, Fred," Hardy called back. He looked back towards Daisy. "Is your flatmate okay with Tom staying over?"

"Yeah," Daisy replied. "He can sleep on our sofa." She pulled a face. "If he and Moira really do try it on I'm sending them both back to her's, though. Not in my bloody flat." Hardy involuntarily laughed out loud, soliciting a grin from Daisy.

Tom reentered the kitchen, duffle in hand. He looked between Hardy and Daisy. "What?" he asked sleepily. Neither responded, but both were amused.

Fred sprinted back into the kitchen. He dug around his backpack before pulling the Switch out. Fred held it up triumphantly. "Found it, Dad!" he exclaimed.

"Good on you, lad." Hardy held up his mug in a salute as Fred bounded away with the Switch and the bag. Hardy glanced up to see Daisy and Tom both looking at him, their expressions indecipherable.

"Um..." Daisy began. "Since when are you 'Dad'?"

Hardy shrugged. "I'm Dad when Fred's particularly excited or angry about something."

Tom halfheartedly gestured towards the door. "Um, I'll be in the car," he mumbled. Hardy nodded in acknowledgment. They watched Tom walk out.

"Is he alright?" Daisy asked once Tom was out of earshot.

"It's... I think it's a bit weird for him, that his brother is growing up in a completely different way than he did," Hardy replied. "Different environment, different people, different situation." Hardy studied the side of Daisy's face as she finished her toast. "How do you feel about it, darlin'?"

"It's a little strange," Daisy admitted. "To hear someone else call you Dad. I thought that was only my term." Hardy sipped from his mug and tried not to let his face betray him. The kids didn't know about Ellie's miscarriage, and they had no plans to tell them. 

"We are still going ahead with our original plans," Hardy continued. "Once the courts agree to terminate Ellie's ex-husband’s parental rights, I'm adopting Fred." He washed out his mug in the sink.

"Why?" Daisy asked. She paused a moment. "Okay, that came out wrong. I do adore Fred, don't get me wrong, but it seems like a lot of extra work for you to go to court and everything."

"It's for Fred's protection," Hardy replied. "If something happens to Ellie, we both want Fred to stay with me. As things are now, he'd probably end up with Ellie's sister, since we're technically not related. It would also prevent Joe from having any right to see him."

"Are you and Ellie going to have kids together?" Daisy asked suddenly. Hardy willed himself not to physically react to the question. Bit on the nose. He wasn't sure what to say for a moment.

"I've, uh..." Hardy finished the sentence by making a scissor gesture with his free hand. Daisy grimaced and scoffed.

"Dad, gross!"

Hardy chortled. "You asked, darlin'."

Fred bowled back into the kitchen, wearing his backpack. "We have to go!" he exclaimed, hopping up and down. Ellie entered the kitchen behind him, dressed for patrol and pulling her hair back.

"Bustling morning, is it?" Ellie greeted the room. "Where's Tom?"

"In the car," Hardy replied. "The Miller boys are eager to leave, apparently." He turned to Daisy. "We should get going, or you'll miss the train."

"I'll follow you out," Ellie replied. Outside, she sent the kids off with hugs and Hardy with a kiss before climbing into her own car and heading towards work.

Ellie's workday kept her fairly busy. She attended to a few matters relating to Gretchen Vox before patrolling with uniform. She and her patrol partner arrived back at CID at the lunch hour. The day had turned surprisingly warm and sunny. Ellie decided to eat on the constabulary's front steps, munching on a sandwich as she sent off various text messages, checking in with Hardy, the older kids, and Carson's mum. Ellie was so caught up in the family text that the sound of a woman clearing her throat nearly made her jump. Ellie looked up to see a woman in her thirties. She was tall, attractive, and well put together, but her expression was shattered. The woman twisted the strap of her bag nervously. "Excuse me..." she started, her Northern Irish accent unmistakable. "Do you, um, work here?"

Ellie nodded, standing up. "I'm Sergeant Miller," she responded. "Are you all right?"

The woman looked uncomfortable. "I've been watching the news..." she continued. "The girl, at university, the one who was attacked?" Ellie nodded in acknowledgment. "I think..." the woman hesitated. "I think I know who did it."

Ellie tried not to react as she brushed her hands off on her trousers. "May I ask your name?" she inquired.

"Grace Gallagher," the woman replied, shifting uncomfortably.

"Grace," Ellie said as reassuringly as she could. "Would you be willing to come in and speak to a detective?"

Grace nodded, still fussing with her purse, before Ellie led her inside. Ellie sent a text to Karina, who quickly arrived in reception. Ellie made the introductions before Karina walked them both to an interview room.

"Grace," Karina began, sitting down. "I've contacted the chief investigating officer at the precinct covering this case. He'd like to come in and talk to you as well, if you're okay with that." Grace nodded in response. "What brought you in today, Grace?" Karina asked.

Grace once again cleared her throat. "I think I know who attacked that woman. The one at the uni party." She looked between Ellie and Karina. "His name is Andrew Barclay."

Karina considered the information. "Were you at the party?"

"No," responded Grace.

"Do you know Naomi Schiffman?"

Grace shook her head. "I don't."

Karina leaned forward. "Why do you think this Andrew attacked her?"

"I know he was at that block the night of the party," Grace responded. "He was tagged in pictures on Instagram." She pulled out her mobile and tapped around before sliding it across the table to Karina. Ellie looked over as Karina scrolled through the tagged photos. The pictures looked pretty typical for a uni party - groups mugging together in a crowded room, drinks in hands. Karina made a note of the tagged Instagram handle before pushing the phone back towards Grace.

"There were a lot of people there, though," Karina said gently. "If you weren't there, and you don't know the victim, how can you be sure?"

Grace stared down at the table in front of her. "Andrew was my sister's boyfriend," she said softly. "Her first boyfriend." Grace paused. "Her only boyfriend." Karina and Ellie looked on as Grace continued. "My sister, McKenna, was twelve years younger than me. I was almost more like another mum to her than a sister. She moved here for uni three years ago. Andrew started school at the same time she did. They started dating straight away." Grace began to trail off. "He's a right bastard. I couldn't believe some of the things she told me that he would say to her. He'd make fun of her appearance, tell her she was fat, call her stupid, call her a slag... McKenna thought that was totally normal. I begged her to break it off with him, but she wouldn't. She kept saying that I didn't understand..." Tears were falling down Grace's cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. "McKenna told me Andrew was pressuring her to have sex. She was nervous and didn't know if she was really ready. She kept asking me all these questions. One morning, she called me crying. They'd been at a do the night before, and they'd both had a lot to drink. She said Andrew tried it on, but she wasn't having it, but he kept going..." Grace sobbed, gasping in. "He bloody raped her. From what McKenna said, it wasn't the only time it happened either. Andrew was so horrible to her." Grace could barely get the words out. "She's dead because of him. She came home during the half term and took an entire bottle of painkillers that belonged to our dad. My mum found McKenna in her bed, totally unconscious. Mum called an ambulance, and McKenna ended up dying in hospital two days later." Grace was inconsolable. "And now he's gone and done this to that girl. I know it was him."

There was a soft knock on the door. Ellie and Karina looked over to see Hardy at the door, Morrison behind him. Karina turned back toward Grace. "This is DCI Alec Hardy," she told Grace. "He's the officer in charge of Naomi Schiffman's case. Would you mind talking to him?"

Grace nodded, wiping her face. Ellie stood to exit the room, giving Hardy's forearm a discreet squeeze as she passed him. Ellie closed the door behind her as she stood in the hall with Morrison.

"We need to cross check a name with the people in the block during the party," Ellie said to Morrison. "Andrew Barclay." Morrison nodded as he pulled out his mobile. Ellie paced a bit in the hall as he shot off a text. She felt for Grace, but something about the situation made Ellie uneasy.


	9. Chapter 9

The countryside flew by as Daisy stared out the window. She glanced over at Tom, sat opposite her, who was tapping away furiously on his mobile. Tom glanced up to notice her look. "What?" he asked. Daisy just raised her brows.

"So you and Moira, eh?" Daisy questioned, folding her arms and leaning back.

Tom shrugged. "Yeah?"

"So, do you like, actually like her, or are you just trying it on?" Daisy asked. Tom scoffed.

"I do like her. I don't know why you're being so weird about this."

"Oh yeah?" Daisy challenged. "She's three years older than you. What do you like so much about her?"

"Um, have you seen her?" Tom scrolled through his phone to show an Instagram post. Daisy scoffed at him.

"Yeah, Moira's fit, but what on Earth do the pair of you talk about?" Daisy could sense Tom freeze up a bit as he put his mobile in his pocket.

"Well, at first I just liked the look of her, so that's why I messaged her, but it turns out..." Tom hesitated. "Did you know her grandparents raised her?"

Daisy shook her head. "I didn't."

"Yeah, well, her mum was in prison when she was growing up, so..." Tom trailed off with a shrug. Daisy knew what the implication was. She just nodded before looking back towards the passing scenery. Tom tried to change the subject. "Are you seeing anyone right now?"

Daisy shook her head. "No, I'm over dating for a while. Just broke up with someone." She pulled a face. "I just want to see my mates."

"What do you think about the whole, like, Dumfries thing?" Tom asked suddenly.

Daisy wasn't sure what to say at first. "Well, it's, um..." she started before shrugging. "I mean, they're happy, Fred seems happy." She paused, glancing out the window. "I guess a change like that is always going to be a bit weird, though, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Tom agreed. Their conversation faded as the train sped along towards Leeds.

Back in Dumfries, sat at her desk, Ellie typed away as she looked into Andrew Barclay's background. She glanced up to see Hardy across CID, talking on his mobile. Ellie turned her attention back towards her monitor, scrolling through Andrew Barclay's record. She noted that he had a previous arrest for an assault. Ellie clicked around to reveal more information. It had been a physical assault two years prior. She looked for the victim's name. Not Naomi Schiffman nor McKenna Gallagher. It was a name Ellie didn't recognize. She furrowed her brow as she read the charges had been dropped, effectively clearing Andrew's record. Ellie looked over at Hardy again, who was ending his call as he walked over to join her.

"Look at this," Ellie told Hardy, pointing out the pertinent information on the screen as she recounted the details of Andrew Barley's assault arrest.

"Huh," Hardy replied as he leaned down to get a better look, hand on the back of Ellie's chair. He gestured his mobile at her. "I had a DS cross check the resident key cards and the guest check-ins at the student block. Andrew Barclay was definitely in the building that night. He'd been signed in by a resident called Broden Blair. Two other blokes were checked in at the same time. My officers are looking over CCTV footage to see if we can get a visual on his movements inside the building."

Ellie opened a new window and typed in the URL for Andrew's Instagram account. Hardy looked on as she scrolled through the images. It was all fairly typical of a bloke his age - group shots at bars and in the stands of football matches, banal shots of nature. "This Andrew, for all intents and purposes, sounds like a right prick," Ellie said as she clicked on an image to get a better look. "He's got a history with women, a temper, and he was at the block the night of the assault, but -" She peered up at Hardy "-So were a couple hundred other people. Grace Gallagher's been monitoring his social media to keep tabs on him.” Ellie sighed, leaning back in her chair to look up at Hardy. “Either the pieces are falling easily into place or-“

”Grace Gallagher is out for revenge, and sees an opportunity to blame Naomi’s attack on Andrew.” Hardy finished Ellie’s thought. She nodded. “Both options seem plausible,” he mused. “I’m going to put in a records request with the police in Derry,” Hardy continued. “See if we can learn anything about McKenna Gallagher’s suicide.” He nodded at Ellie’s monitor. “Have you done a check on McKenna or Grace?”

”That’s a good idea,” Ellie replied, typing. She clicked around before shaking her head. “Nothing on McKenna. I’ll try Grace.” Hardy looked on as Ellie typed. She raised her brow on surprise. “Bloody hell. There’s been two accusations of harassment made against her, both by Andrew Barclay. They were six months apart, the latest being about eight weeks ago."

Hardy had to fish his eyeglasses from his jacket pocket to get a better look at the screen. "Stalking, intimidation, threats - Christ," he muttered to himself. Hardy straightened out, stretching his back a bit. "I feel this lead could either be completely credible or a huge distraction."

Ellie sighed, settling back in her chair. "Well, let's find out. I'll dig around into Grace's background, you take Andrew. See if you can get any information on McKenna Gallagher's death."

"Yes, ma'am," Hardy replied, giving Ellie's shoulder a discreet squeeze. He gave a surreptitious glance around CID. "Empty house tonight," he murmured quietly enough that no one else could hear.

Ellie raised her brows at him, a hand smile on her lips. "Then we'd best get cracking, shouldn't we?" She swiveled back towards the screen. "Unless you fancy sneaking away now for a nooner." Ellie clicked away before glancing up to see Hardy still behind her, his expression frozen somewhere between surprise and earnestness. "Bloody hell, I was joking," Ellie quickly backtracked. She couldn't help but laugh at Hardy's involuntary pout. "I will see you tonight," Ellie said quietly, reaching up to grasp his wrist and rubbing her thumb over his pulse point.

It was dark by the time Ellie arrived home that evening. She entered through the front door, momentarily caught off guard by how quiet the house was without any of the kids home. "Hello?" Ellie called out as she shrugged off her back and jacket, hanging them over the end of the bannister. Hardy poked his head out, backlit by the bright light of the kitchen contrasting the darkness of the front entryway.

"How did it go today?" Hardy asked Ellie. She kicked off her shoes, letting them unceremoniously bounce off the baseboards. Hardy snorted with laughter. "And you wonder where Fred gets it from."

Ellie shrugged with a smirk as she looked up at Hardy. Her lack of shoes increased their height difference by about an inch. “Pulled up some interesting information about Grace Gallagher. Turns out she’s only been living in Dumfries about a year. She was living in Belfast before then, working as a nurse.” Ellie paused. “Still is a nurse. She works in a cosmetic surgeon’s office, apparently.”

Hardy was surprised. “Her sister’s death was two years ago. Why would she move here after what happened?”

Ellie shrugged. “To follow Andrew Barclay? Exact her revenge on the man who she sees as responsible for McKenna’s suicide?”

Hardy sighed and pushed his hair back. “I just assumed Grace was already living here, maybe followed her sister down.”

”I did, too,” Ellie mused. She looked up at Hardy. “Anything new about McKenna Gallagher or Andrew Barclay?”

”We tracked down Barclay,” Hardy replied. “He’s got an appointment to come down to the station tomorrow morning."

"What about Naomi Schiffman?" Ellie asked. "Has she regained consciousness?" Hardy shook his head grimly. Ellie reached up to wrap her arms behind his neck. His settled around her waist. Ellie wasn't sure what to say next. There wasn't anything, really. Short of reliable witnesses or substantive physical evidence coming forward, they were at a stalemate. Grace Gallagher and Andrew Barclay added a layer of complication to the case that could either be an enormous distraction or a valuable asset. Ellie let one hand slip down to the buttons on Alec's shirt, tracing them without undoing them. She gazed up to look at him for a long moment before continuing. "I'm bloody starving."

Hardy snorted with laughter before enveloping her in a hug. "I don't know if we have anything in the house. I took our resident chefs for granted."

"Want to go out?" Ellie's voice was muffled against his chest.

"Sure," Hardy replied, not yet releasing her.

"I'm going to change first," Ellie said. She went up the stairs, Hardy at her heels. He sat himself on the bed while Ellie rummaged around the inside of the wardrobe. Thoughts of Naomi Schiffman's attach raced through his mind. Was there something else they were overlooking? Plenty of people had the means and the opportunity, but motive was a complete mystery. Why would someone do such a thing? And how, in a packed flat, had they yet to come across anyone who had seen or heard something?

Hardy escaped his train of thought when he looked up to notice Ellie standing in her bra and work trousers, texting furiously. He shook himself back to reality. "What are you doing?" he questioned.

Ellie turned to look at him, mobile in her hands. "Just texting Carson's parents. Checking in on Fred."

Hardy stood to peer over at the texts. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Everything okay?"

"Seems to be," Ellie replied, placing the mobile on top of the bureau. Hardy tightened his hold and turned his head to kiss her neck. She closed her eyes and smiled at the ministrations, placing her hands over his. He leaned in, working his way towards the corner of her mouth. "I'm still hungry, you know."

"I'll be fast," Hardy said, reaching up to undo the clasp of her bra.

Ellie couldn't prevent herself from laughing out loud. "That's romantic."

Hardy pushed the straps off her shoulders and kissed the back of her neck. "We could move this to the kitchen, kill two birds with one stone." His mouth worked its way to her ear while his hands moved to her breasts. "No kids about. Been ages since that happened. I quite like a shag in the kitchen."

Ellie reached behind her to stroke Alec through the front of his trousers. He was already aroused. "There's no food in the house," she reminded him. "Remember?"

"Nope." Hardy turned her around for a proper snog. Ellie unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it to the floor. They pulled off their trousers and undergarments as they enjoyed and embraced one another. They moved to the bed, leisurely touching and kissing each other before Hardy pressed Ellie back against the mattress. He shifted further down the bed and gently pushed her knees apart, leaning down to bury his face between her legs. He kept a firm grasp on her thighs as he worked her over. Ellie lay back to take it all in, enjoying Hardy's mouth on her. She reached down to run her hand through his hair. Hardy released one of her legs to reach for her hand, squeezing it as she came unselfconsciously, not worrying about being overheard in the empty house. Ellie stayed in position, weak with satiety, as Alec pushed himself up and over her. They snogged deeply before Ellie maneuvered him backwards and moved down to return the favour. She grasped him with one hand as she took him in her mouth. He held off as long as he could before coaxing Ellie up. She eagerly pulled herself up, settling on top of him. They moved together purposefully and deeply, leaning down to meet their lips as their hands explored one another. Hardy grabbed Ellie's hips as he came, groaning out and pushing her deeper. She moved to his side, resting her against his chest and wrapping her arm around his torso. Hardy sighed contentedly and reached up to run his hand through her hair, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

They stayed together for a long quiet moment before Ellie broke the silence. "Okay, now I'm really bloody starving." She planted a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Get your arse in gear."

After a quick shower and a clothing change, Hardy and Ellie were soon sat in a pub not too far from their house. In all the years they'd known one another, Hardy could probably count on one hand the number of times they'd been out alone together. When they were still living in Broadchurch, they'd kept their relationship relatively quiet before they moved, not wanting to invoke gossip or meddling. In Scotland, they typically were out with Fred and trying to prevent him from climbing all over the table. It was a rare but enjoyable occasion where they could be alone together, able to concentrate on each other, without the distractions of work or kids. Ellie was filling Alec in on a text conversation she'd had with Lucy when she suddenly froze, chip halfway to her mouth. Hardy furrowed his brow in concern. "What?" he questioned.

Ellie lowered the chip. "The booth behind you. There's three blokes seated there. I think the one on the right is Andrew Barclay."

Hardy busied himself by playing at watching a football match on a telly mounted at the wall in order to sneak a peek. He turned back towards Ellie, taking a sip from his pint. "I think you're right," he responded.

Ellie looked over Hardy's shoulder, watching Andrew and his mates as she took another bite of her chip. "Do you think he's capable?"

Hardy shrugged. "Who the hell knows?" he replied. "I guess we'll know more tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing Ellie heard walking into CID in the morning was her DI calling her name. She looked across the room to see Martin and Karina standing at his office door. Karina beckoned to her. "Come have a look at this."

Ellie left her bag on top of her desk before joining them in Martin's office. "My daughter sent this over," Martin said as he bent down to peer at his monitor. He furrowed his brow as he squinted at the screen, clicking around. Finally, he turned the computer towards Ellie and Karina. "Have you heard about this?"

Ellie and Karina leaned in to get a better look. Ellie took the mouse to scroll through the screen. It was Gretchen Vox's Twitter profile. The posts took Ellie by surprise. Gretchen heavily recounted her own attack. She had retweeted articles about Naomi Schiffman as well. "If you know anything, ring the police," Ellie narrated as she read. "We can't let this bastard get away with it." Ellie looked up at Martin and Karina. "She's got a few hundred followers. Each of these posts has been retweeted dozens of times." Ellie straightened out to look over at Martin and Karina. 

"Did she say anything to you about this?" Karina asked Ellie. Ellie shook her head.

"Last I saw her, she was asking about the Schiffman case, wanted to know what would happen if the perpetrator wasn't caught," Ellie replied. "She seemed pretty disturbed." Ellie looked up at Martin. "Want me to have a word with her?"

Martin shrugged. "Well, if Gretchen wants to go public about her assault, she's entitled to. Maybe this campaign is helping her to feel in control." He looked between Ellie and Karina. "We can keep an eye on things. Who knows? Maybe her posts will encourage people to come forward."

Ellie looked back at the screen. She wasn't sure what to feel about Gretchen's posts. Like Martin said, they may have been what Gretchen needed to move forward. Ellie feared that they may draw attention from the wrong kind of people. She made a mental note to follow up with Gretchen.

***

In Leeds, Daisy huffed and puffed as she struggled to keep up with her flatmate, Audrey. It had only been a couple of weeks since their last run, and she was already feeling the effect of letting their routine slide. "Have you been out every morning since I left?" she asked Audrey. Audrey nodded as she breezed along. Daisy sighed and rubbed the sweat from her forehead, vowing to keep with her running schedule once they returned to Dumfries. Mercifully, they soon arrived back at their block. As they walked into their flat, Daisy was surprised to find Tom, wide awake and ready to take on the day, tidying the front room.

"What's all this?" Audrey said with surprise.

"It's Moira day!" Tom trilled with unbridled glee.

"Don't let Caitlin hear you say that," Daisy said, pointing at Tom. "She takes her birthdays extremely seriously. She'll lose her mind if her 22nd becomes the day you and Moira had some weird shag and distracted everyone from paying attention to her."

"I'll be good," replied Tom, folding his blanket and neatly hanging it over the back of the sofa. "I'm just really fucking excited!" he crowed. Tom whooped and jumped around with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. Daisy was astounded. She'd never seen him like this. Maybe this thing with Moira was genuine, she realized.

"Shut up!" A voice could be faintly heard from somewhere else in the block. Daisy rolled her eyes at Tom and retreated towards the bathroom with a groan.

Hardy sipped his tea and looked up at the clock in CID. Nearly nine. Andrew Barclay would soon arrive for his appointment. Hardy stood by a copier, across the room but in eyeliners with reception's front door, trying to be surreptitious enough to get a look at Andrew before they sat down to question him. Hardy didn't need to wait long before Andrew walked in. Ellie had been right. He was the bloke in the pub from the previous evening. Hardy studied Barclay as he checked in with the officer in reception. He looked like dozens of other blokes his age. Handsome, athletic, but not someone Hardy would take a second notice of out in public. Andrew had a horrible reputation, and by all means sounded like a right prick. Hardy had to acknowledge that the assault charge brought against him had been dropped - didn't mean it hadn't happened - and Grace Gallagher's accusations were technically hearsay. Hardy sighed. He left his tea in his office before beckoning to Morrison. Time to get started.

They were soon sat across from Andrew Barclay in an interview room. Andrew looked unimpressed. Hardy thought back to himself as a young man. Had he been called in to a police interview, would he have been nervous? Arrogant? Then again, Hardy didn't have Andrew's alleged record at his age. They began the interview, and Andrew confirmed he'd been at the party that evening. 

"My mate, Broden, invited us," Andrew said. "He knows Lauren and Naomi better than I do. We drank in Broden's flat for a bit, went to the party, ended up back at Broden's that night."

"Where did you spend the night?" asked Morrison.

"On Broden's sofa. I was pissed."

"Did you talk to Naomi Schiffman at all that night?"

Andrew shrugged. "A bit. Talked to everyone, except Lauren. She and my boy Ansel broke up recently and she hates all of us."

"What did you talk to Naomi Schiffman about?" Hardy questioned.

"Don't really remember," Andrew said. "She was as drunk as me. Probably nothing."

"Did you try it on with her?" Morrison asked, staring down Andrew.

Andrew scoffed. "No."

"What's funny about that?" said Morrison.

"She isn't my type. I'm into girls who are more... feminine. Her whole golf thing is... a bit mannish."

Hardy raised his brows. Andrew was certainly living up to expectations. "Did she turn you down, Andrew?" he asked.

Andrew fixed Hardy with a glare. "Nothing to turn down."

"Did you beat her? Assault her? Rape her?"

"Fuck off," Andrew retorted.

"Answer the question," Hardy said sharply.

"No, I bloody didn't do anything to Naomi." Andrew was fuming. Hardy decided to keep going.

"Who's Miri Wood?" Hardy asked.

Andrew groaned and slumped back in his seat. "Bloody seriously?" he groused.

"Who is she?" Morrison repeated.

Andrew rolled his eyes. "She's my ex-girlfriend, we broke up ages ago."

"Why did you break up?" asked Hardy.

"Because she's a psychotic bitch," snapped Andrew. "She was jealous and insecure. I got sick of it."

"Why did you assault her?" Morrison asked.

Andrew scoffed and crossed his arms. Hardy scanned his visible skin - face, neck, arms. No sign of nail marks from Naomi Schiffman. "The charge was dropped, you know."

"We do know," Morrison replied. "Tell us what happened."

"She started it," Andrew snapped. "Miri was mad that me and the boys had been out to the pub with some girls who weren't her. She showed up and started shoving me. I got pissed and defended myself."

"Defended, how?" Hardy demanded, leaning in. 

Andrew fixed his eyes on Hardy. "Socked her in the chin."

"You punched your girlfriend," Morrison summarized flatly.

Andrew raised his hands in aghast. "What, I'm just supposed to take it, just let her hit me? She dropped the charges eventually. Who fucking cares?"

Neither Morrison nor Hardy spoke for a moment. Morrison eventually continued. "Who's McKenna Gallagher?"

"Christ," Andrew groaned. "You cannae be fucking serious."

"We are serious, Andrew," Morrison said pointedly. "Who is McKenna Gallagher."

"Another ex," Andrew replied. "She was needy and whiny. I broke up with her because it wasn't fun anymore. I was sick of her insecurity."

"Where is McKenna now?" Hardy asked.

Andrew rolled his eyes again. "Obviously, you already know. She killed herself."

"Why would she do that?" questioned Hardy.

"I'm not responsible for McKenna's choices, alright?" Andrew's voice raised. "It's not my fault she's crazy. I was here and she did it at home in Derry."

"Did you rape McKenna?" Morrison asked.

Andrew's face was red. "Fucking hell, you've been talking to Grace, haven't you?"

"You didn't answer the question," Morrison pointed out. "Did you rape McKenna?"

"No, I fucking didn't rape McKenna, or Naomi, or anyone. Sod off." Andrew was fuming. He gestured wildly. "It's not like you're going to solve Naomi's case. Your lot hasn't done anything about Grace being a total fucking stalker. I've reported her twice, and she keeps doing it. She comes to my work, she texts me threats, I see her on campus and at the pub. She's a total psycho. It sucks that McKenna died, but it's not my fault she was crazy."

"Sure, Andrew," Morrison scoffed. "Every woman you know is crazy and you're perfectly sane, is that right?" He leaned forward to stare down Andrew. "They all have you in common, don't they?"

"What do you want from me?" Andrew challenged. Neither detective responded for a long moment.

"Would you be willing to provide us with a DNA sample before you go? It’s voluntary, of course," Hardy replied.

"Sure," Andrew said. "I don't have a thing to hide." Morrison stood and gestured Andrew to follow him. Hardy stayed seated a moment before sighing and standing to follow. As they passed reception, the desk officer called to Hardy.

"Sir," the officer said. "We received a call from a Lauren McInnes. She asked that you ring her back."

Hardy's interest was piqued at Naomi's flatmate's name. He proceeded to his office, pulling up her number on his computer as he picked up the receiver. Lauren soon answered.

"Thanks for ringing me back," she said over the line. Hardy could hear the defeat in her voice.

"What can I do for you, Lauren?" Hardy asked gently.

"Well... I'm moving out of the flat," Lauren replied. "I'm going to take some time off, live at home for a bit. I don't want to be there anymore."

"I understand," replied Hardy. 

"I'm here now," Lauren said. "I'm packing my things. I was in my closet, and I found my football stuff had been dumped out. It had been in a black backpack in my closet, but the backpack's gone. I thought it might be important, thought you might want to know."

Hardy grabbed a pen and a writing pad, jotting down the information. "That is useful information, thank you." He scribbled down the details. "What does the backpack look like?"

"Black," Lauren replied. "It's ancient. I've had it ages. Probably is a bit dirty, because I always take it out on the pitch."

"Any patches or decorations?"" Hardy inquired, writing.

"No." Lauren sounded downtrodden. "Just old, and black."

"Well, thank you, Lauren," Hardy said. "I'm going to send some officers over to the flat to have a look and get some pictures. Do me a favour and leave everything the way it is now."

"I will," Lauren replied glumly.

"What will you do after your time off?" Hardy asked her.

He could hear Lauren sigh on the other end of the line. "Transfer to a different school, probably. I cannae bear to be in bloody Dumfries anymore. I just broke up with my boyfriend of six years, and now this has happened to Naomi..." Lauren trailed off. "Sorry detective. I'm talking like you're my counsellor."

"I get it," Hardy replied. "The officers will come round soon. Look after yourself, Lauren. We'll be in touch." She thanked him before they ended the call. Hardy left his office to find Morrison. He relayed the message to Morrison and two DCs. The DCs headed towards the block as Hardy turned back towards Morrison. "Did Andrew Barclay give a DNA sample?" Hardy asked.

Morrison nodded. "Already sent it off to the lab, asked them to expedite the test. I didn't see any marks on Andrew, though."

"Me, neither," Hardy replied. He sighed and straightened out. "Alright. Let me know when we hear back from the lab."

Morrison nodded, and both men departed.

As evening fell on Leeds, the inhabitants of Daisy’s flat prepared for an evening out. Audrey curled her hair in the loo when Daisy stepped in, holding two dresses on hangers. “Which one?” Daisy asked. Audrey gestured at a strappy black dress. Daisy ducked out, returning a few minutes later, dressed and ready to apply makeup.

”Where the hell are they?” Tom called impatiently from the front room.

Daisy pulled away her mascara wand to roll her eyes without making a mess. “They’re on their way. Christ.” Audrey caught her eye through the bathroom mirror.

”Bloody hell. He’s insufferable,” Audrey scoffed as she ran product through her hair.

”Just excited,” Daisy replied, putting the finishing touches on her eyeliner. She could hear a knock on the front door. Daisy walked out to see Caitlin dressed to the nines in a black jumpsuit. Behind her, Moira stood, grinning like an idiot at Tom, who reflected the expression back at her. Daisy grabbed her purse and stuck her feet inside a pair of platform sandals. “Alright, you two, let’s get on with it.” She grabbed Caitlin’s hand. “Happy birthday.” The group departed the flat, ready to take on the night.

“Jesus,” said Ellie, sat in the passenger seat of Hardy’s car. As he drove, he filled her in on the details of his interview with Andrew Barclay. “What an arsehole.” She looked over at Hardy. “Do you think it was him?”

”I don’t know,” sighed Hardy. “He was there, and he’s capable, obviously, but why? It doesn’t really fit his pattern. He’s mistreated girlfriends, but Naomi is an acquaintance. Unless the lab can match his swan against the skin found under her nails, there’s no more compelling reason to suspect Andrew over anyone else.”

Hardy pulled up outside Fred’s mate’s home. Their plan for the evening was to pick Fred up from his sleepover, have dinner, and head home. Ellie felt her mobile buzz as she undid her seatbelt. She pulled her phone from her bag. “It’s Karina,” she said, reading the screen.

”I’ll get Fred,” said Hardy, climbing out of the car and leaving Ellie to her call. Fred darted out the door, running into Hardy’s legs with a giant embrace. “Hi, mate,” he greeted Fred. Hardy looked up at Carson’s mum. “How was he?”

”Lots of energy, but lovely,” she replied with a laugh.

”Thanks again,” Hardy said, hoisting Fred’s backpack over his shoulder. “We’ll host Carson next time.”

He turned to follow Fred down the path. As Hardy buckled Fred into the backseat, he noticed that Ellie had finished her call and was now scrolling through her phone. "What did Karina say?" Hardy asked as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"She wanted to alert me to this," Ellie replied, handing over her mobile before she leaned into the backseat to greet Fred with a kiss. Hardy scrolled through the feed. 

"Oh, Christ," he replied. Grace Gallagher has retweeted Gretchen Vox's posts drawing attention to Naomi Schiffman's case. She tagged Gretchen in multiple messages naming Andrew Barclay as Naomi's attacker. He sighed as he scrolled. "These have been shared dozens of times." He handed the phone back to Ellie and started the car. "I'm going to ring the station," he told Ellie. Hardy glanced into the backseat. "And then we're getting pizza."

"Pizza!" cheered Fred.

Hardy pulled off the curb and reached up to hit the Bluetooth button. It rang before he could touch it. Hardy and Ellie exchanged a glance before he answered. "What?"

"It's me, sir," Morrison said on the other end of the line. "The results from the lab came back. Andrew Barclay isn't a match for the tissue found under Naomi Schiffman's nails, nor was he a match for anything found at the scene.

"Right," replied Hardy. "Karina Jefferson's just been in touch with Ellie. Apparently, Grace Gallagher is sending out tweets saying Andrew was the attacker and has amassed quite the following."

"Bloody hell," replied Morrison. "Perhaps we should have uniform - hold on, sir." Hardy and Ellie could hear Morrison's muffled voice talking to someone in CID. After a few moments, they heard him pick the phone back up. "Andrew Barclay called the front desk. Grace Gallagher has shown up at the pub he works at and refuses to leave."

"Which pub?" Hardy inquired.

"The Sword and Sheath, off St. Mary's."

"Right. Dispatch uniform. We're close by. I'll meet them there."

Hardy ended the call as Ellie looked up in alarm. "What? No! We're not going there. Not with Fred in the car."

"Uniform will be there. It will be fine. I just need to talk to them."

"Did you not hear me?" Ellie was angry. "I don't want Fred anywhere near this!"

"Mum?" Fred inquired hesitantly from the backseat. 

"Everything's okay, darling," Ellie replied, turning around to touch his leg. She shot a glare at Hardy. "We're heading home." He didn't reply. "Alec!"

They pulled up towards the Sword and Sheath. From the street, they could see both Grace Gallagher and Andrew Barclay standing outside. Andrew wore a black pinny. They gestured at each other, arguing, as Hardy pulled into the car park. "Stay here," he told Ellie, undoing his seatbelt and opening the car door.

"Alec!" Ellie called again, aghast.

"That's fucking it!" he heard Andrew yell at Grace. "Leave me the fuck alone. I've rung the cops."

"Admit it! Admit to what's you've done!" Grace yelled back at him. Andrew ignored her, fishing keys from his pockets and unlocking his car door.

"Stay the hell away from me," Andrew retorted to Grace as he climbed in.

"Grace-" Hardy called out, walking towards her. Neither Hardy nor Andrew were looking at each other as Andrew abruptly reversed his car, backing into Hardy, knocking him down to the ground.


	11. Chapter 11

By the time night fell in Leeds, Caitlin's birthday was in full swing. Daisy wondered to herself if she'd sworn off dating too soon. Caitlin had invited several mates Daisy had never met to their night out, and she was soon deep into a conversation with Matthew, a new bloke who had graduated from her uni a couple years prior. They'd been talking in a group and have taken the same side arguing politics with a few other pub patrons. Daisy and Matthew had eventually moved to their own table for a bit more of a chat, nursing their drinks until they were empty.

"Refill?" Daisy asked Matthew, gesturing her empty glass at him.

"Please," he replied with a smile. Daisy maneuvered her way through the crowded pub. She caught sight of Caitlin holding court in a group of their friends. As she pushed her way up towards the bar, she saw Tom and Moira sat at the end, leaning in so close that their faces were nearly touching. The pair had been inseparable all night. Daisy had to smile to herself as she flagged the bartender down. Maybe whatever it was between Tom and Moira was genuine. As soon as she received the drinks, Matthew sidled up to her at the bar. "We'd best down these," he told her. "The birthday girl wants a change of scenery. The Grey Lion. Fancy going?"

"Absolutely." Daisy polished off quite a bit of her drink. "Let me just go talk to my mate Moira, and Tom."

"Who's Tom?" Matthew asked.

"Down there," said Daisy, gesturing. "He's my stepbrother, I guess? My dad's new wife's son. Tom and Moira are madly in love, apparently."

"How long have they been together?" Matthew had to nearly yell to be heard over the din of the pub.

"About two hours," Daisy replied. Matthew laughed out loud. She grabbed his forearm. "Come on." Daisy guided Matthew through the crowd. "Tom... TOM!" It look Daisy several attempts to get his attention. "We're leaving. Going to the Grey Lion. Fancy coming, too?"

Tom hesitated and looked over at Moira. "Well... I was thinking that Moira and I could go get dinner." He paused. "If you want to." Moira nodded enthusiastically. "We can barely hear each other in here."

"Okay," Daisy replied, downing the rest of her drink. Matthew did the same. "Just text me later."

Tom nodded before turning back towards Moira. "Let's go!" Caitlin trilled from across the room, loudly enough to be easily over the crowd.

Their mates shuffled towards the exit. Matthew almost subconsciously put an arm around Daisy as they pushed their way to the door. Daisy smiled to herself. It was going to be a good night.

Hardy could hear the chaos around him before his eyes or brain could register what was going on. His head was blurry, swimming in the noise surrounding him. He could hear Ellie. "...Did you ring an ambulance?... Did they say when they'd arrive?... Fred, darling, back in the car."

Hardy could make out the sound of Fred wailing over Ellie's pleas. From somewhere, a man protested. "Fucking hell, I didn't even see him." Hardy recognized the voice. Andrew Barclay. Hardy could feel hands on him, touching his head and his chest. Ellie. He turned in the direction of her presence, reaching up towards her wrist.

"Stay still," Ellie ordered him, the tears evident in her voice. Hardy blinked as his vision began to clear. A small crowd had amassed outside the pub, gawking. Andrew Barclay and Grace Gallagher looked on, both shell shocked. He looked up to see Ellie turned in the opposite direction. "Fred, please, get in the car."

"What's happened?" Hardy's voice was croaky. Ellie turned back towards him. Through her tears, Hardy could see the anger in her eyes. 

"You walked straight in the path of a moving vehicle," Ellie replied in a low, curt voice. Hardy attempted to sit himself up, but Ellie's hands remained on his chest, keeping him in place. He knew better than to challenge her at that moment. "He knocked you head down into the pavement. Don't bloody move."

Hardy felt no desire to disobey her. His head pounded and his chest burned. Hardy experimentally moved his fingers and toes, adding a bit of motion into his arms and legs. He looked up at Ellie, who wouldn't look back at him. She wiped a few errant tears with the back of her hand and glanced over at their car. "Fred, it's okay." Alec turned his head gingerly in the direction of Fred's cries. "Stop moving," Ellie hissed.

"Is Fred all right?" Hardy mumbled.

"He's terrified." Hardy could see the lights from the approaching ambulance against the side of the pub. Ellie reluctantly stepped to the side to allow the paramedics to take her place. Hardy lay still, answering their questions and wincing at their torches and prods. He could hear Ellie talking to one of the paramedics. "...He's got heart arrhythmia and a pacemaker... Six years..."

Hardy turned towards Ellie. He could see that Fred had once again made his way out of the car and was clinging to Ellie's waist. She kept an arm wrapped tightly around Fred's little shoulders. Ellie spoke to the paramedic while Fred's teary eyes remained fixed on Hardy. "Try to keep still, sir," a paramedic said, gently holding Hardy's head in place. The paramedic wrapped Hardy in a neck brace before the team maneuvered him onto a stretcher and loaded him into a waiting ambulance.

Tom was riding on a high, fueled by infatuation and many, many lagers. They were finishing up dinner in a quiet cafe after a long night of what seemed like effortless conversation. Moira spoke about her mother's struggles with alcoholism and addiction, and the years she'd spent with her grandparents while her mother moved in and out of incarceration and rehabilitation. Tom opened up about everything - his father, Danny, Michael. For the first time, he felt like he could tell the truth and not be judged. Moira was the first person he'd met who'd properly understood what it was all like. He and Moira stumbled out of the cafe and towards another pub. She leaned into him, wrapping her arm behind him. Tom reciprocated, embracing her as she lay her head against his shoulder. It was all too good.

Sat in the new pub, their conversation turned towards his mom and Alec. Tom had told Moira about how they'd met, and some of his apprehension over the situation. "...I mean, he's a decent person and everything," Tom said with a shrug. "But I still think it's weird. I've always wondered-" Tom hesitated a moment. "-If things had been different, like, if my dad wasn't arrested, or if Danny had never died, that if Alec and my mum would have had an affair or something. My dad's barrister was accusing them of it, and a lot of people believed it, but, like, if nothing had happened, would things have just stayed normal, or would they like be together no matter what?"

Moira considered it. "Maybe it was because of the circumstances. It sounded like there was a lot of turmoil at the time. Experiences make people act differently." Moira gestured between her and Tom. "Would we be here if we both didn't grow up with a bit of shit?"

Tom laughed. "Probably not, no." He grinned at Moira. "I still would have tried it on, though."

It was Moira's turn to laugh. She took a big sip from her pint. "Are your mum and stepdad working on those rape cases in Dumfries?"

"You heard about those?" Tom asked.

Moira nodded. "I've seen loads of tweets and snaps talking about them. It's in the papers, too. It's fucking brutal."

Tom nodded. "They don't really talk about their cases, but yeah. Alec's working on the girl who was beaten at that party."

Just then, a wave of activity entered the pub. Caitlin's party had arrived, easily doubling the number of patrons at the bar. Tom raised a hand in greeting to Daisy, who walked in with Matthew. The newcomers crowded around the bar while Tom moved his chair closer to Moira.

A few hours passed before the party began to wind down. Many of the guests had already left before Daisy, Tom, Moira, Matthew, Audrey, and Caitlin stumbled out of the pub into the quiet, early morning streets. They laughed and talked amongst themselves, ambling in the direction of Daisy's flat. As they walked, something caught Caitlin's attention. She paused, peering blearily into a small plaza park.

"Caitlin, you alright?" asked Audrey, shaky on her heels.

Caitlin didn't respond, but just gestured at the dark plaza. Everyone else squinted at where she was pointing. "Are there people in there?" she slurred. 

The group quietly watched. Sure enough, two figures were silhouetted in the darkness, bumping into one another. Audrey narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. It looks like someone can barely walk.”

No one moved for a moment as they tried to make out the activity in the plaza. From across the street, they could hear a faint voice protesting blearily. "Stop... I mean it, Robert, just bloody stop it."

Matthew frowned. "Maybe we should check if they're okay." He started towards the pair.

"No!" Caitlin protested. "Bloody hell. What if they have a knife or something?" Audrey started after Matthew and the rest of the group scuttled after them. As they approached, they saw a young woman and man, both far more intoxicated than anyone in their group. The woman stumbled around, weak on her legs, while the man held onto her, roughly jostling her up.

"Alright?" called Matthew as he approached.

"Fine," the man replied curtly. The woman wavered, and he tightened his grip on her. She grumbled in protest.

"Robert, stop..." she mumbled, barely coherent. "Let me go."

"Hey," Matthew barked. "She's saying to let her go, mate."

"Fuck off, would you?" replied the man. He grabbed the woman's arm roughly, nearly pitching her forward in the process. Only his grip on her arm kept her knees from hitting the ground.

"Do you need help?" Audrey asked the woman, approaching from behind Matthew.

"Will you leave us alone?" the man screamed at Audrey. He released the woman, who fell to her hands and knees, and approached Audrey with puffed-up bravado. Matthew intercepted with his hands out, holding the bloke back. The man threw a punch at Matthew, hitting him in the side of the jaw. Matthew shoved back, causing the man to stumble. He regained his balance and charged at Matthew. Tom tried to intercede by grabbing the man's shirt. It was enough to distract him, and the man dropped his attention on Matthew and turned it towards Tom. A punch to the head was enough to stun Tom. The man tackled him into the ground, laying in several more blows. Tom was so stunned he couldn't return the punches. He could see flashes of Audrey behind the man, kicking into his sides while yelling. Matthew attempted to pull the bloke off Tom fruitlessly before a few other passersby came to his assistance. They pushed the bloke to the ground. Tom sat himself up, dazed, and surveyed the plaza. Moira, Daisy, and Matthew descended on him, checking him over. Some of the passersby were surrounding the angry bloke. Audrey, Caitlin, and another woman Tom didn't recognize were over with the drunk girl, helping her to her feet. Tom ran his hand over his own face and surveyed the blood that wiped off. He closed his eyes, feeling dizzy and nauseous. 

Back in Dumfries, Hardy wasn't feeling much better. They'd been cooped up in A&E for several hours as Hardy was prodded, tested, and scanned. Fred had long since passed out. Ellie had cobbled him together a dinner of hospital vending machine food, and he was now tucked up in a chair next to Hardy's bed, fast asleep under Ellie's jacket. Ellie had barely looked at Hardy since they'd arrived at the hospital. She tersely spoke to the doctors and a few attending officers between Hardy's MRI and x-rays. At her insistence, he'd also been subjected to an ECG. Alec watched Ellie pace around the opposite end of the tiny examination room. He was tired, sore, and going mad from waiting. 

Ellie's phone buzzed. She fished it from her pocket and scrolled through a text message. "Both Andrew Barclay and Grace Gallagher were released after questioning. She didn't make any specific threats towards him, and backing into an arsehole who walks behind your car isn't a crime." Ellie slipped the mobile back into her pockets and glared at Hardy, arms folded.

Hardy sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Love, look-"

"I told you I didn't want Fred there," Ellie interrupted him with a hiss. "He was bloody terrified. He didn't have to see all of that. What was so goddamn urgent that uniform couldn't have handled it?" 

"I'm sorry," Hardy wheezed. "I couldn't risk missing any possible leads."

"You already know that Andrew's DNA wasn't found on Naomi Schiffman," Ellie fumed. "And Grace is just turning out to be just a garden variety psycho with a vendetta. They're both morons, Alec. You risked your life and scared the shit out of my son for nothing."

Hardy couldn't help but internally cringe at 'my son.' "I know, Ellie, I was just thinking-"

"That's the thing! You weren't bloody thinking!" Hardy could see the tears accumulating in Ellie's eyes. "What if you'd gotten yourself killed? What if someone had gone after Fred? It's different with young kids around." Ellie held her hands open in bewilderment. "And you wonder why I didn't want to bring a baby into this mess."

Alec didn't know how to respond. Somehow, that comment was more painful than getting hit by a car. The door opened just then, bringing the conversation to a halt. The doctor stepped in, clipboard in hand. "Well, Mr. Hardy. You've suffered a concussion and several broken ribs, but otherwise, you're in good shape. I recommend following up with your GP in a week or so, but I'm going to go ahead and discharge you. Get rest. You're going to be sore tomorrow." Hardy just nodded in understanding. A nurse and an orderly came in to unhook Hardy from his monitors and help get him dressed as Ellie began to pack up a still-sleeping Fred. As they prepared to go home, Hardy felt more defeated than he had in ages.


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, bloody hell," Daisy muttered to herself as daylight made its way straight onto her face through the partially open curtain. She propped herself up onto her elbows and surveyed her bedroom with a sigh. Already, the pounding headache and sour stomach of a hangover were beginning to manifest. Daisy ran her hands over her face and surveyed the traces of eye makeup left on her hands. They'd been stuck in the park for ages the previous night. The police had been called after the row. Paramedics came, too, and checked over Tom and the others involved in the fight. Eventually, mercifully, they were released. Matthew and Moira held Tom upright and steady on the walk back to Daisy and Audrey's flat. After sustaining the beating, Tom had refused a trip to A&E, wanting a lie down instead.

Daisy reached down for her purse. She’d unceremoniously dumped it on the floor with her dress and sandals when she changed into a sleep shorts and t-shirt not hours before. She dug through her bag for her mobile. She opened her texts and perused them with a smile. After Matthew had seen them into the flat, he'd asked for her number and sent her a goodnight text after he departed the block.

Daisy read and reread the message. Despite the hangover, the exhaustion, and the nagging fear of telling Ellie and her father about what had happened once they returned to Dumfries, she couldn't ignore the warmth of her evening with Matthew. She placed the mobile on her nightstand before climbing out of bed to check on Tom. Daisy opened the door as quietly as she could before tiptoeing to the front room. She crept in to see Tom on the floor, fast asleep in a nest of pillows and blankets, with Moira curled up against him. Despite his battered face, the sight of the pair of them sleeping on carpet made Daisy snort to herself. She abandoned the tranquil scene to make her way towards the coffee in the kitchen.

Over in Dumfries, Hardy woke up in an equal amount of pain. Even before his eyes opened, he felt the dull burn of impact in every nerve ending on his body. He groaned to himself, shifting around in bed. Out of habit, Alec reached next to him in bed, peering his eyes open at the surprise of touching cold sheets. He gingerly sat up to survey the room and the relatively tidy blankets next to him. Ellie hadn't been in bed last night. She was still angry.

Hardy carefully stepped out of bed, groaning in pain. As he shuffled towards the bedroom door, he idly wondered to himself if this wasn't a preview of what getting older would be like. Waking up stiff, walking off aches and pains. Alec peeked into Fred's bedroom on his way to the stairs. No sign of the lad. Hardy groaned and creaked his way to the main level. He noticed pillows and blankets discarded on the empty sofa, but Ellie wasn't home. They'd had their squabbles, but it had never gotten to the point where they'd slept separately. This was a new low.

Alec shuffled into the downstairs loo. He studied the lines on his forehead and the bags under his eyes in the mirror. Hardy lifted his shirt delicately, wincing at the pain of movement and the sight of bruises scattered over his abdomen. "Christ," he muttered to his reflection before pulling the hem of his t-shirt back down. As Hardy made his way into the kitchen, the thought of Ellie's words from the previous night came back to him. The implications stung. Ellie and Hardy knew they fundamentally disagreed about having another child, and deep down, he knew that a blowup like this was overdue. They'd both been avoiding the subject. However, Hardy couldn't discern if Ellie just had spoken out of anger, or if there had been truth to her words. Hardy felt grim as he filled the kettle. Yes, Ellie had been right that driving to the pub with Fred in the car had been a massive mistake, but her reaction was an affront to his parenting. Since they'd been together, Alec had no reason to doubt that their relationship was going to be a permanent situation. Now, it felt cracks were appearing. Hardy took his cuppa into the living room. With some difficulty, he eased himself onto the sofa, settling into the pillows and pulling the blankets over himself. He could smell Ellie on the linens. He closed his eyes as he breathed her in, sore and defeated - for more than one reason.

Ellie perused her emails, her chin in her hand. She'd barely slept the night before, with both the sofa and her racing thoughts keeping her awake. Ellie had been up early and dropped Fred round at his child minder's on her way to work. She glanced over at her mobile, picking it up but not unlocking the screen. She was cross at herself for not being more attentive to Alec after his accident, but her anger was preventing her from reaching out. Ellie set the phone down and reread a message on her computer, but she couldn't concentrate long enough to comprehend it. Sure, Fred had his issues, but one thing that hadn't touched his young life so far was trauma. He'd been too young to feel the effects of Joe's actions and the dissolution of their family life. He didn't even know about Joe yet. Ellie dreaded the day when she'd have to sit Fred down and begin to explain the past. He was getting to the age where he'd realize that there'd been a father figure in his life before Alec. The same Alec who'd bollocked up a call the previous night, in full view of her young son. Ellie squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. She tried to shake the memory of Alec being hauled away in an ambulance while Fred cried into her shirt.

With a sigh, Ellie stood from her desk and took her mobile and mug with her. She walked over to a window and looked out at the grey sky and half-empty car park. Ellie tried to concentrate on her anger, but guilt nagged its way to the surface. She'd gone way too personal with her comments at the hospital. She'd purposefully thrown the baby comment at Alec, knowing that it would hurt. Ellie felt her mobile buzz. She looked down, feeling a nag of disappointment when she didn't see Alec's name on the screen. You should be the one to reach out to him, she chided herself internally. She read the message. Daisy had sent it through the family group text.

Tom and I are staying in Leeds another night. See you tomorrow xx

Ellie slipped the phone into her jacket pocket. She wondered if she'd been wrong not to alert Daisy and Tom about the accident, but since Alec was going to be fine, Ellie hadn't wanted to ruin their trip. At least it bought Ellie another day before she had to come clean to the kids about what had happened. Ellie turned away from the window and started back towards her desk when she saw Karina enter CID. Karina gave her a wave and quickly walked over, giving the rest of the room a discreet look before gesturing to Ellie to follow her. Ellie trailed Karina into an empty interview room.

"So," Karina started in a low voice. "Just had my interview in Cargenbridge."

"Oh," Ellie said with realization. She's nearly forgotten that Karina was trying for a DI position. "How did it go?"

"Um..." Karina started before trailing off. "Good, I think. It's just that..." Karina hesitated. Ellie was surprised.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"I gave them your recommendation, and... well... they kept asking about you."

Ellie could feel the chill of trepidation in her stomach. "What were they asking?"

"A bunch of bloody questions." Karina sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "Okay, I didn't really get it at first, but when I got back to my car, I googled you..."

"Oh." Ellie wasn't sure what else to say. She knew, eventually, people in Dumfries would likely find out about Joe and Danny and the whole story.

"I'm sorry," Karina said quickly. "It's none of my business, and I can understand why you'd want your privacy. I just..." Katina opened her hands in bewilderment. "I kind of fell down an information hole. I couldn't stop reading. I mean, it was all over the papers when it happened, and I heard about it at the time, but I didn't really remember the specifics." Karina paused and took in a breath. "Christ. I mean... I can't believe you had to go through all that shit. And I'm sorry for prying. I'm not going to spread word around, but I didn't want to keep it from you, either."

Ellie was lost in thought a moment before shaking her head. "No... I appreciate you telling me. I mean, it was probably just a matter of time before people here found out. I'm just glad it was you and not someone with a loudmouth." Karina laughed. "Are you going to take the job?"

Karina shrugged. "Nah. They seem like arseholes." It was Ellie's turn to laugh. Karina leaned in, voice low again. "So, that's how you met your husband?"

Ellie snorted. "Yep. Love story for the ages, that." She raised her brows at Karina. "Speaking of my husband, Andrew Barclay backed into him with a car last night."

Karina's eyes went wide. "Oh, bloody hell. Is he okay?"

"Yeah," Ellie said with a sigh. "He will be. Relatively minor injuries, all things considered. Just traumatized my son in the process." Ellie paused. "I've been giving him the cold shoulder since last night. I'm bloody angry."

Their conversation was interrupted by the door opening. Martin, their DI, poked his head inside the interview room. "Bloody hell, Karina, I've been looking for you for ages. Geoffrey Morrison called. They may have found the weapon used in the assault on Naomi Schiffman."

Karina and Ellie followed Martin to his office with a quick clip. He picked up the telephone receiver and dialed. Morrison answered fairly quickly.

"Hi, Geoffrey," Karina said as Martin put the call on speaker. "Ellie and Martin are here, too."

"Where's DCI Hardy this morning?" Morrison's voiced inquired over the line.

"Knocked flat on his back, I'm afraid," Karina replied. Martin furrowed his brows in puzzlement. Ellie almost laughed out loud. Karina continued. "Martin said you found a possible weapon?"

"Yes," Morrison replied. "Call came in from a bin lorry driver. He was collecting rubbish in a city park when something got caught in the mechanism of the truck. He pulled it free. It's a black backpack. In it was a golf trophy, engraved with Naomi Schiffman's name, covered in dried blood." 

Ellie took in a breath. Karina looked stunned but nodded her head vigorously. "Go on."

"We've got the area cordoned off. SOCO is going through the rubbish right now, and we've put in a records request to access CCTV in the area. The trophy's with the lab right now. We've got DCs in contact with Naomi's flatmate, to see if she can identify the backpack through pictures."

"Well done, then," Karina said, straightening up. "Keep in touch, let us know what you need from our end."

"I will," Morrison replied. He paused for a moment. "You know... the bin man mentioned that he doesn't watch the news or read the papers. 'Too bloody infuriating,' in his words. He has a teenaged daughter who follows Gretchen Vox on Twitter. She was the one who told him about the case. Without Gretchen... who knows? We may have never come across this evidence."

Hardy had spent most the day napping restlessly. He'd eventually roused himself, taken an uncomfortable shower, and limped his way to the kitchen to attempt cooking dinner. As he boiled pasta and chopped salad with discomfort, he wondered if there was a chance that Ellie and Fred wouldn't come home that night. He was so lost in his thoughts and his preparations that he startled when he saw Ellie and Fred standing in the doorway of the kitchen, watching him.

"Oh," Hardy said in surprise. He was unsure of how to continue.

"Hi, Alec," Fred said. He walked into the kitchen, giving Hardy a tentative hug.

"Alright, mate?" Hardy replied, returning the hug. Fred wandered off, leaving Ellie and Alec alone in the kitchen. They could hear his footsteps going upstairs. They both stood uncomfortably, unsure of how to proceed. Ellie broke the silence first.

"Did you see Daisy's text?" Hardy nodded in reply. There was another uncomfortable pause. "How are you feeling?" Ellie finally continued.

Hardy shook his head and tried not to wince. "Fine," he replied.

"No, you're not," Ellie retorted. Still, she walked into the kitchen, closing the gap between them. Ellie didn't speak, and just studied Hardy's face in silence. Eventually, she reached up, tracing the side of his face and gently brushing back his hair. They both knew there was much to talk about, but it wasn't the moment. Ellie stood on her tiptoes to plant a careful kiss on Hardy's lips. He reciprocated. They kept their movements and ministrations delicate and deliberate, but pretty soon, their embraces and snogs became deeper. Ellie reached down to stroke the front of Hardy's trousers. This time, his groans were from arousal and not pain. Ellie pulled away to glance behind them at the empty doorway before turning off the stove's burners. She led Hardy by the hand into the dark front room. Hardy could hear Fred upstairs. They were safe, for now. In the darkness, Ellie undid Hardy's trousers before removing her own. She hoisted herself onto a sturdy bureau in the from room, pulling Hardy close enough to her that she could grasp him and guide him inside her. They were quiet and careful as they moved together, savoring the connection over anything else. Hardy came, gasping out quietly. Neither moved for a long moment. Ellie once again reached up, this time with both hands. She held the sides of Hardy's face, gazing up at him. Hardy put his hands on top of hers. Things may not have been perfect, but, in that moment, they were moving forward together.


	13. Chapter 13

"Oh, bloody hell."

Ellie was awoken by Hardy's groans reverberating against her. Even before she opened her eyes, she could feel his weight draped over her. Hardy had fallen asleep curled up against her the night before, his head against her chest. Ellie wasn't sure if it was more physically or emotionally comfortable for him, but she didn't question it either way. She stroked his back, letting her hand end up in his hair. Ellie buried her face into the top of Hardy's head. "Still sore?" she asked.

"Yes," he mumbled into her skin. "I'm going in today, though." With some effort, Hardy shifted to bring his hand up next to his face, against Ellie's pyjama top. He undid the top button, pushing the collar aside to give his lips access to the tops of her breasts. Ellie smiled as he peppered her with a few kisses, simultaneously touching her up over the fabric.

"No need to push yourself, if you're not ready."

"You only took two days after..."

Hardy could feel Ellie tense up. "Not the same situation," she replied tersely.

Hardy's lips stilled, but he didn't lift his head. "When are we going to talk about it?"

"Not now." Hardy couldn't see Ellie's face, but he could hear the flatness in her voice.

"It's been seven months," he said softly, tracing her skin against the fabric of her top.

Before Ellie could respond, Hardy's mobile buzzed. Grateful for the distraction, she stretched to reach it without disturbing Hardy. She handed it to him as he remained pressed up against her.

"What?" Hardy muttered into the phone. Ellie could hear a muffled voice on the other end carrying the majority of the conversation. After a while, Hardy said to the caller, "Alright, bring him in. I'm on my way." He ended the call and sat up with a groan. "The lab came back with results off that backpack. The blood is definitely Naomi Schiffman's. Traces on the outside of the backpack matched with Andrew Barclay. There's an unknown male DNA pulled from the trophy itself, not belonging to Andrew. It was a match with the skin pulled from under Naomi’s nails, though.”

Ellie was surprised. "Bloody hell. Andrew handled the backpack but not the trophy?"

"Was he disposing of it for someone else?" Hardy wondered out loud, furrowing his brows. He looked down at Ellie. "That bastard knows something." Hardy stepped out of bed with some difficulty. "Christ. Maybe Grace Gallagher was actually right about him."

Sat on the train, Daisy warily returned the look of a shocked old woman who walked past. It wasn't Daisy she was reacting to. It was Tom, sat next to her. His hoodie and sunglasses couldn’t conceal the bruising to his nose and the split in his lip.

"You look like a bloody terrorist," Daisy told Tom, who grunted in reply. She fished out her phone and fired off a text. "I'm telling Ellie and Dad that we'll call a taxi when we get there."

"Why?" Tom mumbled.

Daisy pointed to Tom's injured face. "Do you want them reacting to this at the station or in the privacy of their own home?" Once again, no verbal reply from Tom, although Daisy could sense that he saw her point. Daisy settled to face forward, ignoring the glances from other passengers making their way to empty seats. "Was this trip entirely a bloody disaster?"

"No," replied Tom from underneath his glasses. "The beating I could have done without, but Moira..." He let out a breath. "I think I bloody love her."

Daisy raised her brows in surprise. "You sure you're not in lust?"

Tom scoffed. "Didn't even shag her. Wanted to, but it's too bloody painful. I need to make sure she gets my physical best the first time." Daisy groaned and let her face rest in her hands. Tom snickered before pausing. "Seriously, though... She's amazing. I..." Tom hesitated. "I don't think I want to go back to Exeter anymore."

Daisy looked up at him in surprise. "Christ, you're that serious?"

"Exeter's fine and everything," responded Tom, "But I don't give a toss about studying IT anymore... I'd rather go to a culinary academy. Maybe Mom and Alec will let me stay with them for a while. I'll save up money, enroll in cooking school..."

"...And eventually move to Leeds?" Daisy questioned.

Tom shrugged, a ghost of a smile on his face. "There are cooking schools in Leeds. I googled them."

"Would you move in with Moira?"

"I'll move into your flat."

Daisy scoffed. "And sleep where?"

"I'll sleep on your sofa," Tom replied. "And I'll invite Moira to move in, too, and I figure you or Audrey would eventually get so frustrated with us that you'd bugger off and then we'll take your rooms."

Daisy rolled her eyes as Tom cackled to himself, drawing a few more noisy looks from their neighbours in the train. She felt her mobile buzz from her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw a text from Matthew, checking in. As Daisy smiled to herself and responded, she had to internally agree with Tom. Despite everything, it has been a smashing trip.

Uniform escorted Andrew Barclay into CID not long after Hardy had arrived. His DNA, plus CCTV footage of him in the park the morning before, was enough to arrest him in connection with Naomi Schiffman's assault. Bolstered by pain relievers and tea, Hardy was internally pleased that he'd be able to get Barclay in an interview room again after the incident in the pub's car park.

Andrew gave Hardy a sour look as they took their seats with Morrison and Andrew's barrister. Hardy raised his brows at Andrew. "Are you not happy to see me, Andrew?"

Andrew scoffed. "Why do I get the feeling you're stitching me up to get back at me? It's not my bloody fault you walked behind my car. I was already in reverse before you even got out of yours."

"That's not why we're here," replied Hardy. He pulled out a screenshot of Andrew in the park, walking in the dim morning light, holding a plastic shopping bag. "We've confirmed that a missing backpack belonging to Naomi Schiffman's flatmate had your DNA all over it. The backpack was found in a park bin later the same day you were in the very same park. Inside was a weapon used to assault Naomi Schiffman." Hardy tapped the shopping bag on the screenshot. "Am I right that the backpack was inside that plastic bag?" 

Andrew didn't respond for a long moment. "It's just a bag. I had some clothes in it that I wore to the gym. I don't know anything about any bloody backpack."

"I don't believe you, Andrew," Hardy responded. "From what I can tell, you nicked the backpack from Naomi's bedroom to hide the weapon used in her attack after you beat her unconscious and sexually assaulted her."

"I didn't do anything to Naomi!" Andrew yelled, jumping from his seat. "I didn't fucking touch her!" His solicitor guided him back down.

"You dumped the evidence in a public bin because you hoped it wouldn't get noticed. You assumed that, once it ended up in the landfill, no one would ever find it again, and the heat would be off you."

"I didn't do it," Andrew hissed.

"You were at the party," Hardy said sternly. "You have a temper, a violent history with women, and you've been accused of rape before. And now here you are, present in the same city park where vital evidence containing your DNA was found."

"You're wrong," retorted Andrew. "I had nothing to do with what happened to Naomi. I didn't have any fucking backpack or any fucking trophy. You've no idea what you're talking about."

"Why did you mention a trophy?" Morrison inquired, speaking up for the first time during the interview.

Andrew looked over at him. "Naomi was attacked with a trophy. It was on the news."

Morrison shook his head. "The constabulary's press release indicated she was assaulted with a weapon. We never specified what the weapon was." Hardy could see Andrew pale. 

"Andrew," Hardy said, leaning in. "We have your DNA evidence and you have information about this case that hasn't gone public. We have multiple pieces of evidence to put you at the crime scene. We have enough to charge you in connection with the attack on Naomi Schiffman. Tell us what you know."

Andrew sat still and silent for a long moment before he slumped back and sighed. "I didn't do anything to Naomi," he said pointedly. "I found the backpack in the bin outside my house a couple of days ago. I was throwing out a bag of rubbish, opened the bin, and saw it inside. I opened the backpack but closed it as soon as a I saw the trophy. You lot have been trying to pin this whole thing on me, so I knew I had to get rid of it. That's when I put the backpack in a bag and tossed it in the bin at the park."

"So how did the backpack end up in your bin in the first place?" Morrison asked, folding his arms.

"For all I know, the police put it there," Andrew retorted.

Morrison scoffed. "Christ, Andrew, you're going to have to do better than that. Like DCI Hardy said, we've enough to charge you at this point. If you weren't the person who threw out the backpack, who was?"

Andrew opened his hands in bewilderment. "I live with three other blokes, and we have mates round all the time. Loads of people I know were at that party. Any one of them could have thrown the backpack in the bin."

Neither Hardy nor Morrison responded for a long moment. Hardy cursed internally. Yes, they could charge Andrew, but his traces weren't found on the weapon itself, nor were they found in Naomi Schiffman's bedroom. He knew, instinctively, that it was unlikely Andrew was the culprit. However, he felt Andrew knew more than he was letting on. Hardy reached for the tape recorder.

"Interview terminated at 9:48," Hardy said before clicking the recorder off. He stood to leave the interview room, Morrison behind him. They walked briskly to Hardy's office.

"Bollocks," Morrison hissed, scrubbing his hands over his eyes. "There's something he's not telling us."

"I agree," replied Hardy. "But his story is still plausible."

"Is it, though?" Morrison wondered. "You find a backpack in your bin, you open it, you find a trophy inside, but you don't pull it out for a closer look? Forensics found no indication that Andrew handled the trophy itself. How could he have known it was Naomi's if he didn't pull it out to read the inscription?"

"Perhaps he saw the dried blood?" Hardy volunteered.

Morrison shook his head. "Maybe Andrew is telling the truth that he didn't attack Naomi. But what if he's covering for someone else?"

Hardy considered this. "It's possible. Covering for who, though? A specific person, his mates in general?"

Morrison sighed. "Do we charge him?" he asked Hardy. Hardy shook his head.

"We could, but it's unlikely to stick." Hardy thought for a long moment. "Let's release him on contingencies but get names of any mate he's had over to his since the party. We'll follow up with his mates, especially those who were at Naomi Schiffman's flat the night of the attack."

Morrison returned to the interview room to follow up with Andrew. After collecting the names and details of his friends, Morrison released Andrew. 

Across the street, sat in her car, Grace Gallagher watched Andrew depart the police station. Her mobile chirped from the seat next to her. Grace glanced at it. Another call from work. Grace didn't answer. Work was the least of her priorities. She watched Andrew as he waited for the bus. Eventually it arrived, and Grace pulled away from the curb to follow Andrew's journey.


	14. Chapter 14

Hardy was on edge, for more than one reason. He felt they were on the verge of a breakthrough in Naomi Schiffman's case, but so far, a clear, concrete lead hadn't manifested. Hardy glanced over at the clock on the wall. The workday was creeping to an end. He felt pulled in multiple directions. As much as he wanted a strong theory to emerge, he knew that not getting home at a reasonable hour, especially since Daisy and Tom were returning that evening, would be in bad form. Things between him and Ellie had calmed a bit, but some of the tension still carried over. Hardy's eyes went from the clock to the ceiling above him. Too sore to comfortably sit or stand for too long, he was laid out over his office sofa, with Morrison seated on a chair next to him. File folders surrounded them, strewn across the desk, the floor, and empty chairs. Armed with a list of Andrew Barclay's mates, they were pouring over records, trying to make any connections between who may have been present at Andrew's house and the party. 

After Andrew's release earlier that day, detectives and SOCO were sent to his house. Armed with a warrant, they'd interviewed Chaz Baker and Luca Nielsen, two of Andrew's housemates. Luca had been out of town and hadn't attended the party; Chaz was at the do, but nothing pressing, or enlightening came from his interview. After a search of the premises, neither SOCO nor the detectives came across anything of note related to Naomi's case. Officers reported that Andrew had arrived at the house not long after they did. He stood outside, watching and scowling a bit, before leaving on foot.

Hardy glanced over at Morrison, who was engrossed in a file, brows knitted. "Two of Andrew Barclay's three housemates attended that party. Of the twelve guests they had around since then, five of them were at the do as well." He flipped through a few more pages. "Chaz Baker and Ansel Williams are the housemates who were checked into the block with Andrew by Broden Blair that night." Morrison paused, and looked over at Hardy. "Do you have the transcript of our first interview with Andrew?" Hardy pulled out some file folder tucked between him and the couch. He shuffled through them before locating the correct file. He handed it over to Morrison, who flipped through it, considering the information. After a few moments, Morrison exclaimed out. "Here!"

Morrison passed the folder to Hardy. He read it to himself before looking back at Morrison. "Naomi's flatmate Lauren's ex-boyfriend is called Ansel." Groaning with pain, Hardy sat up before standing to shuffle over to his desk. He pulled out a notebook, flipping through it. "When I spoke on the phone with Lauren, she mentioned they'd broken up recently after dating six years." Hardy looked over at Morrison. "If Lauren's ex-boyfriend is the same Ansel as Andrew's flatmate..."

"...He was present at the party," Morrison continued. "Perhaps he's still angry about the breakup and takes it out on Naomi."

"Or he tries it on with Naomi, she rejects him, and he attacks her instead," Hardy volunteers.

"He would know the layout of their bedroom," said Morrison. He stood, pacing a bit. "He'd also have scratches on his skin from when Naomi tried to fight him off." Morrison dove for the papers on Hardy's desk, searching until he found what he needed. "Ansel works at a cafe near campus. Fancy going there now?”

Ellie gave her watch a discreet glance as she flipped the page. She and Fred were squeezed together inside his single bed. Part of Fred's nighttime ritual was reading a chapter out of a book with either Ellie or Alec before going to sleep. Fred was fading fast next to her, but so far, they were the only two home. Ellie had expected Daisy and Tom back ages before, and Alec hadn't yet contacted her that evening. 

Fred was mostly asleep by the time Ellie finished the chapter. She tucked him in with a kiss to the forehead before turning out the light and shutting the door gently behind her. Ellie wandered downstairs, feeling a bit unnerved. Maybe it was the nearly empty house that should have had three other people in it, or maybe it was the lingering residuals of her spat with Alec, but Ellie was a bit on edge. She made her way into the kitchen, intending to tidy up. She was drying dishes when she heard the front door open. 

"Hello?" Ellie could hear Daisy call out.

"Alright, love?" Ellie responded. "Welcome back." Ellie put down the dishcloth she was holding and turned to leave the kitchen, only to find Daisy standing in the doorway. Ellie couldn't pin down the expression on Daisy's face. "What's wrong?" Ellie asked.

"Okay... Don't be angry, but..." Ellie peered around Daisy and out to Tom, who was still standing by the front door. As soon as Ellie caught sight of his injuries, she gasped out.

"Oh my god! What bloody happened?" Ellie exclaimed, slipping out from behind Daisy and making a beeline towards Tom. She reached up for his face, closing the height difference between them. Ellie gently probed at Tom's cuts and bruises.

"It's not a big deal, Mum," Tom said with a wince, causing Ellie to pull back a bit.

"Like hell it isn't," Ellie said, studying Tom's face with a furrowed brow. 

"Tom was trying to get a drunk bloke off my mate Matthew," Daisy said quickly. "We were walking home after the pub, and we saw this man being rough with a girl. My flatmate confronted them, my other friend tried to step in, the drunk started throwing punches on him, and then Tom tried to separate them, but the bloke started beating him, so..." Daisy trailed off. Ellie's face was stricken as she looked Tom over and over.

"Did you ring the police? What did the doctor say?" Ellie stuttered. "Come sit down." She led Tom into the front room and sat down with him on the sofa.

"The drunk bloke was arrested," replied Tom. "We talked to the police and they have our details. They said they'd be in touch." He hesitated. "I, um... didn't see a doctor."

Ellie pulled her hand away and bore her eyes into Tom. "What?" she asked sharply. "Why the bloody hell didn't you go to A&E?"

Tom shrugged wearily. "What could they really do, Mum? I just wanted to go to sleep at that point."

"Christ!" Ellie exclaimed. "What if you'd had a concussion or something?" She tried her best to prevent reactionary tears from forming in her eyes.

"Mum, I'm fine, really," Tom insisted. "I'm just sore, but I'm fine."

Ellie leaned back on the sofa, wiping away a few tears that spilled over. "You're seeing a doctor tomorrow," she said with a shaky voice. "I'll call my GP in the morning and get you seen." No one spoke for a long moment before Ellie breathed out. "My god, Tom." She reached out to envelope him in a hug. Tom returned the embrace willingly, letting his head rest against her shoulder. Daisy watched on from the opposite wall. After a few moments, Tom straightened out, and Ellie reached up to stroke his hair. She let out a teary chuckle before looking over at Daisy. "It's probably as good time as any to tell you at your father had a bit of an accident himself the other day."

"What?" Daisy furrowed her brow in surprise. 

"He walked into the path of a reversing car. It hit him and knocked him back. He had a concussion - talking of bloody concussions," Ellie said pointedly to Tom before turning back to Daisy. "-And he broke a few ribs. But he is okay, love. Sore, but he went back to work today."

"Jesus," Daisy breathed out. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We didn't want to ruin your weekend," Ellie replied. She stood to close the gap between her and Daisy. "Had it been more serious, we would have called. I'm sorry to spring this on you, Daize." This time, Ellie opened her arms to Daisy. She leaned into Ellie, who wrapped her arms around her. "See? It's quite shit to be kept in the dark, isn't it?" Ellie heard Daisy's sniffly laugh against her shoulder in response. "He is okay, though." Ellie brushed a few tears off Daisy's cheeks and pushed her hair off her forehead. "Come on. I'll put the kettle on." Tom stood to join them, and Ellie guided them toward the kitchen, arms around their shoulders.

Although the hour was late, the cafe was still bustling when Hardy and Morrison walked in. Both scanned the room, looking for Ansel Williams. Not spotting him, they approached the young woman behind the counter.

"I'm DCI Hardy," Alec said, displaying his badge. "This is DS Morrison. We're looking for Ansel Williams. Is he here?"

The woman looked concerned. "Um, yeah, I'll go get him." She disappeared into a back room, emerging a few moments later with a tall young man. He wore a white pinny over a long-sleeved T-shirt. The young man said nothing, and just looked between Morrison and Hardy. The woman at the counter shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do.

"Ansel?" asked Hardy. Once again, no reply from the young man. He introduced himself and Morrison. "Is there a quiet place we could talk?" Hardy asked Ansel. Ansel turned silently and headed into the back room. Exchanging a glance, Morrison and Hardy followed. They found themselves in a storage room. Hardy noticed a few employees passing by the open door, occasionally glancing in with curiosity. Ansel sat himself down on a stack of pallets, crossing his arms.

"Ansel," Morrison began. "We're looking into a physical and sexual assault that occurred at the Briar Building the night of the 14th. Our records indicate that you were in the block that evening after being checked in by a Broden Blair. Did you attend a party that night held in Unit 23?" Once again, no answer from Ansel.

Hardy jumped in. "According to a few of your mates and the residents of the flat, you were there. In fact, you'd recently broken up with one of the party hosts, is that correct?" Hardy wasn't sure what to make of Ansel's silence, but intended to keep going. "We've also uncovered a black backpack containing a weapon used in the assault. After speaking to one of your housemates, we learned it was found on your property." Ansel momentarily lost his concentration and scoffed angrily, glancing away. Morrison perked up with notice as Ansel turned his head.

"Ansel, what happened to your neck?" Morrison questioned. Hardy's eyes went for Ansel's skin. Barely visible under the collar of the shirt and the strap of the pinny were three scabbed-over gouges.

Ansel stared them down for a long moment. "I want a solicitor," he said sharply.

"Call CID," Hardy ordered Morrison. As Morrison pulled out his mobile, Hardy read Ansel his rights. "Ansel Williams, I'm arresting you in connection with the rape and assault of Naomi Schiffman..."

Grace Gallagher's car was shrouded in the darkness of the evening. She'd been sat there, parked in the street, for nearly six hours. After watching Andrew Barclay leave the constabulary earlier, she'd followed his bus. Andrew had sulked outside of his house for a bit, watching the police come in and out, before walking to the pub. Grace knew from her previous observations that he's had a short shift that day. Afterwards, Andrew had been picked up by a young woman - a new girlfriend - and they went back to hers. Grace had gone through the post in her box and knew the young woman's name was Anna. She lived at home with her parents and younger brother. Anna worked at the same pub as Andrew. Grace knew she had a closing shift that night. She also knew that the rest of Anna's family had departed for a holiday earlier in the week and had yet to return.

A text buzzed Grace's phone. She picked it up to read the message. It was from her own mum. 

Please call us, love. I'm worried.

After a moment, another message.

If we don't hear from you tonight we're ringing the Dumfries police for a welfare check.

Grace rolled her eyes and shoved the mobile in her bag. She knew that her employer must have called her emergency contacts after not being in for two days. She didn't care. Monitoring Andrew was a full-time job. Nothing else mattered. Knowing that he'd been in police custody, and seeing them search his house, Grace knew that the time had come. She pulled the mobile from her bag, only long enough to glance at the time and ignore another text. Anna should be leaving for her shift soon, Grace noted. Tonight, Andrew would be alone in the house.


	15. Chapter 15

Grace stood at Andrew's girlfriend's front door; her hand poised to knock but not yet moving. A flicker of apprehension gave her a moment of pause. What was she hoping to accomplish? In the days - months - leading up until now, Grace had concocted dozens of scenarios about what might happen if she were to get Andrew alone. She daydreamed about him confessing to his mistreatment of McKenna. She imagined the perfect cutting remark; the right thing to say to him to break him to bits. But how realistic was that, really? Would a dickhead like Andrew ever prostrate himself for his actions? Irritation soon caught up with Grace's doubt. She knew he'd been arrested. She saw the police at his house. She knew who Andrew really was, even if everyone else didn't.

Grace pulled her hand away from the door. Andrew wasn't going to talk to her. He would just scream and yell and ring the police again. She stepped away from the door and moved towards a large picture window. Peering inside the brightly lit house, she caught a few glimpses of Andrew in an adjoining room. After a quick glance around her in the darkness, Grace crept toward the house's back garden. A lack of outdoor lighting and an open gate made her short trip easy. Once behind the house, Grace was able to see into an empty kitchen. Carefully, she made her way towards a glass door. She reached out, trying the doorknob slowly. Pressing firmly, she found it unlocked. Grace opened the door and stepped into the kitchen, closing the door behind her as silently as she was able.

Grace considered the room around her. A few pans in the sink, lots of family photos and reminders attached to the fridge. She strangely wasn't nervous or apprehensive. Somehow, this seemed right. Grace walked slowly out of the kitchen and into a hall. Glancing down, she caught a glimpse of Andrew, sat on a sofa in the front room, watching something on his laptop. He faced away from her, large headphones obstructing his hearing to anything else in the house. Grace watched him work, oblivious to her presence. She looked around the room and noticed Andrew's mobile sitting on an end table next to him. Grace was able to walk behind him and slide the phone off the table without capturing his attention. She pocketed the device before wandering back into the kitchen, where she had seen a wireless router plugged in on the countertop. Grace tapped the power button before walking back into the front room. It wasn't a moment before Andrew muttered to himself, tapping away at his keyboard. With a groan, he pulled off the headphones and set aside the computer, standing up. He froze when he caught sight of Grace behind him.

Neither spoke nor moved for a long moment. Grace's heart beat in her chest as she stared Andrew down. Finally, she could see the fear on his face. Andrew glanced down, eyes darting around. Grace knew he was looking for the mobile. She felt a sudden rush of power as Andrew looked back at her. It was a long moment before Grace spoke.

"I need to talk to you," Grace said. She was surprised at how calm she sounded.

Andrew sputtered a moment before the words came out. "You're psychotic," he spat out, stuttering.

"Why were you at the police station this morning?" Grace asked him.

Andrew shook his head in disbelief. "How would you even know that?"

Grace continued without answering. "Why did the police go to your house?"

Andrew was aghast. "Have you been following me?"

Grace could barely feel her nerve endings. She wouldn't have been surprised to look down and see herself floating above the ground. "Did you attack that girl?"

"Jesus Christ, no."

"You did," Grace hissed. "Why would the police have you in otherwise?"

"You want to know the truth? Naomi got drunk at the party and told my boy Ansel where to go. She hates him because he broke up with her best mate. He got mad. I found the bloody trophy he used on her in the bins at our house. I threw it away at the park because I'm sick of everyone blaming me for everything and knew they would if I left it at ours."

"I don't believe you. It was you. You raped my sister, too." The tips of Grace's fingers buzzed. Her ears rang.

"I didn't bloody rape your sister!" Andrew roared. "Just because she did things she regretted later didn't mean I forced her to do a fucking thing!"

Tears burned in Grace's eyes. "She's dead because of you. She killed herself because you're an abusive rapist."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe McKenna was as big of a head case as you?" Andrew screamed out. "Look at yourself. You're a stalker and a psychopath. Maybe it's in your fucking genetics. McKenna was broken beyond repair. You are, too. Get the fuck out of here."

Andrew stalked towards the door, brushing past Grace. She saw red, struck suddenly by a debilitating rage. Without initially realizing, Grace grabbed a lamp from the side table and brought it crashing down into the back of Andrew's head. He yelped in surprise, stumbling down. Fueled by adrenaline, Grace picked up the side table itself. She struck him in the side of the head with the table, sending him to the ground. Grace delivered another blow to Andrew's head, gashing him open and breaking apart the table. She held the largest piece like a club, bringing it down into Andrew over and over. She didn't stop until the red in her vision disappeared and made the red in the carpet all the more obvious.

Ellie glanced from her mobile to Daisy to the telly. She'd made the older children tea after they'd arrived home. Ellie, Daisy, and Tom spent a couple hours together in the kitchen, filling each other in on the events of the previous days. Well, not everything. Ellie hadn't mentioned her row with Alec, and she suspected that some of these so-called mates of Tom and Daisy's were a bit more than casual friends. Eventually, Tom excused himself for a lie-down and Daisy pulled up some streaming show she insisted Ellie would like. Ellie had yet to hear from Alec, though. Morrison had given him a lift to work that morning, as Hardy wasn't feeling up to driving. Ellie wasn't sure if she would need to pick him up. Not a call or text from him all day.

Like a mindreader, Ellie's mobile buzzed, mildly startling her out of her minor funk. She glanced at the screen. Alec. "It's your dad," she told Daisy, who paused the programme. "Alright, love?" Ellie greeted Hardy. "I was wondering when I'd hear from you."

"Sorry," Hardy's voice came through the other end. "Busy day." He paused for a moment. "The kids back?"

"Yep. Daisy's here, if you want to say hi." Ellie handed the mobile over to Daisy. They chatted briefly. Ellie had to smile to herself as she listened to the small talk on Daisy's end. It was apparent that neither Hardy was going to give the other a full rundown of their eventful few days over the phone.

"Love you, Dad. See you soon." Daisy wrapped up the conversation and handed the phone back to Ellie. She put the phone to her ear.

"Alright?" Hardy's voice came through the other end. Ellie moved from the couch and out of the front room as Daisy resumed the show. "We made an arrest," Alec said quietly. Ellie walked into the kitchen. "Naomi's flatmate's ex-boyfriend. She made some jabs at him, and he assaulted her."

"Christ," Ellie breathed out.

"It's bloody unbelievable, Ellie... He did all that, just because he was offended. Naomi still hasn't come around. If she doesn't make it, he'll be further charged with murder." Hardy sounded tired.

"Can I come pick you up?" Ellie asked.

"Please," Hardy replied. "Ta."

Ellie ended the call before grabbing her keys and checking in with Daisy. It wasn't too long before she pulled up to the constabulary. Hardy was sat on the front steps, waiting for her. Ellie watched as he stood up with some difficulty before stiffly walking towards the car. Neither spoke. Ellie leaned in to plant a deep kiss on Hardy. He reciprocated.

"Daisy's cross at you," Ellie said after they broke apart.

Hardy raised his brows at Ellie. "You told her?"

"Aye, I did," Ellie replied. "Also, Tom sustained a beating in Leeds. Apparently the lot of them tried to intervene on a domestic dispute. Nothing happened to Daisy," she quickly added. "I'm taking Tom to the doctor tomorrow."

"Christ," Hardy muttered. "Are you okay?" he asked Ellie.

Ellie shrugged. "I'm not happy about any of this, but I'll survive."

Hardy reached over to push Ellie's hair away from her face, allowing his fingers to run through her hair and stroke her head. She closed her eyes at his ministrations. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "For everything."

Ellie opened her eyes to look back at him. "I'm sorry, too." Casting a long gaze at Hardy, she once again moved in for a deep snog. For a long moment, they forgot they were in clear view of CID and enjoyed the connection and each other's touch. Only the ringing over Bluetooth was enough to interrupt their kiss.

Ellie sighed before reaching up to answer. "Hello?"

"Ellie," Karina's voice came through the speaker.

"Alright, Karina? You're not still at work, are you?" Ellie replied, sitting up.

"No," Karina replied. "I'm at home, but the front desk called. Grace Gallagher's mum rang them from Derry, requesting a welfare check on Grace. Apparently, the doctor she works for called her emergency contacts because Grace hasn't shown up for work in two days and hasn't answered any calls from him. She hasn't responded to her parents, either." Ellie and Hardy exchanged a concerned look. "Officers have been to her flat," Karina continued. "No one was home."

"Karina, it's Alec Hardy," he interjected.

"Alright, tall bloke?"

Hardy scoffed. "Have you tried Andrew Barclay's home or work?"

"Officers are en route to Barclay's house," Karina replied. "Haven't tried work. Where is that?"

Hardy had his mobile out and was dialing. "The Sword and Sheath," Ellie replied for him. "Alec's calling them now. Best if we send uniform down as well, just in case."

"Yes, may I speak to Andrew Barclay?" Hardy said into his mobile. Ellie watched as he listened. "...Okay, may I speak to her?... Yes, is this Anna? Do you know where Andrew is this evening?... Okay, what's the address?" Hardy continued to listen before narrating it out loud for Karina and Ellie. "12 Marigold Close." Hardy ended his call. "Call CID, alert uniform," he ordered Karina over speaker. "His current girlfriend works at the same pub, and said he's spending the night at hers and should be there now." Ellie was already pulling back onto the street before they hung up with Karina. Hardy pulled up GPS and navigated as Ellie sped through the dark streets. Neither spoke, the edginess of the situation on both their minds. It wasn't long before Ellie veered right onto Marigold Close. As they pulled up to the curb, Alec spotted a figure sitting on the dark front steps of Anna's house. They quickly exited the car, approaching with apprehension. As they got closer, they could see the figure was Grace. A motion detecting light flicked on, highlighting the blood soaking her shirt and staining her arms.

"Grace?" Ellie said quietly. Grace looked towards Ellie, her movements almost trance-like. Ellie continued. "Grace, are you injured?"

Grace shook her head, an absent-minded smile appearing on her lips. "I'm fine."

"What's happened, Grace? Where's Andrew?"

"Inside," Grace responded calmly. She gave them another smile. "He's not going to hurt anyone again."

Ellie circumvented Grace on the stoop and entered the house through the ajar door. She entered, drawing a breath at the sight of Andrew, covered in blood and laying unresponsive on the floor. She felt his neck and held her hand by his mouth, looking for signs of life. She felt a faint breath. Ellie pulled away, grabbing for her mobile. She left fingerprints highlighted by Andrew's blood on her phone as she dialed. "It's Ellie Miller. We're at Marigold Close. Send an ambulance. Andrew Barclay is here and needs urgent medical attention." Ellie hung up and crouched next to Andrew, willing backup to arrive quickly.

It was dawn before Ellie and Hardy trudged out of CID. Grace Gallagher had calmly confessed to beating Andrew Barclay. Her confession supported the account that Ansel Williams had attacked Naomi Schiffman, but its secondhand nature meant it couldn't be used as evidence against him. Andrew remained in critical condition. Like Naomi, he could potentially be afflicted with severe brain injuries, if he were to wake up at all. Grace Gallagher could potentially face murder charges. In the car park, Hardy and Ellie stopped when they heard someone calling for them. They turned to see Morrison jogging down the front steps after them. "Just received a call from St. Luke's."

"Is there news on Andrew Barclay?" Hardy asked.

Morrison shook his head. "No. Naomi Schiffman came around. She's awake and responsive."

Both Ellie and Hardy let out of breath. "Well, thank god for that," Hardy replied. "Have a detective posted there. Give her time. We have plenty of physical evidence to convict Ansel Williams but have someone there prepared to take her testimony if she's ready to talk." Morrison nodded and reentered the constabulary. Hardy squeezed Ellie's arm as they walked back to her car.

On the drive home, Hardy's mind swam in the aftermath of the evening. He looked over at Ellie. "Let's not go straight home. Let's stop somewhere. I want to talk about... all of it."

Hardy could see a moment of hesitation on Ellie's face before she nodded. "Okay. I'm ready," she responded softly.

Ellie pulled off the main road and onto a side street surrounded by quiet woods. She turned off the ignition and faced Hardy. Ellie drew in a deep breath before speaking. "Okay," she began. "I said some horrible things to you in hospital, and I feel terrible about them. You're not a bad father. Fred adores you, and you've been brilliant to him."

"You were right, though. I was reckless going straight to the scene of a callout with him in the car. It was a huge mistake."

"Yes. Don't do that again." Ellie gave him a rueful smile and Hardy had to laugh to himself a little. "I... shouldn't have said what I did about the baby to hurt you." It took Ellie a moment to get the words to continue. "I've felt horribly guilty these past few months. I knew you were excited. I also feel like... neither one of us feels like we can be totally truthful with the other."

Hardy paused before nodding his head in agreement. "I think you're right," he replied. "I was excited. It was a shock, but it seemed like it fit with all the other change. We have this whole new life together here, and adding a wee one into the mix was fitting, somehow. I wasn't a brilliant father to Daisy. This seemed like a redemption, somehow. I felt like I could go back and get a redo of the mistakes I made with her. With Fred, I feel like I have much better perspective now than I did when Daisy was younger. I can give him the time and attention I should have given her. A new bairn seemed so right at the time."

Ellie nodded for a long moment. "I understand," she responded softly. "I really wanted to be happier about the pregnancy, I did. And like you said, with everything else that had changed, it would have made a lot of sense. Things have been so good up here, and for a long time, in Broadchurch, they weren't. We had a new life up here, Fred and the older kids were happy, I felt free from the old baggage and judgement from Broadchurch, and then all of a sudden, we had a baby on the way. I was scared of how a baby would change everything. I was worried about what effects our ages would have on the baby, too. There were too many unknowns." Ellie stopped and took a deep breath. "Tom and Fred were both planned. Joe and I originally wanted one child, but time went on and I became broody-" Ellie laughed to herself "-And that's when we tried for Fred. And not a year and a half after he was born, my entire life was turned upside down. So, I was scared. I didn't like feeling out of control. I'm sure thing would have been fine, had I carried to term, but..." Ellie wiped away a few tears. "I was relieved," she admitted. "If I could go back and do things differently, I never would have fallen pregnant in the first place. I'm happy with our life here, and I didn't want it to change. My only regret is disappointing you."

"You didn't disappoint me," Hardy said quietly. "None of this was your fault. You're more important to me than a theoretical baby. I love you, no matter what."

"I love you, too." Hardy reached out and grasped Ellie's hand. She raised their intertwined fingers to her lips, kissing the inside of Hardy's wrist. "I always assumed that the baby was a boy."

"I did, too," Hardy replied. They smiled sadly at each other. "Even with everything that's happened... I wouldn't have changed a bloody thing."

"I would have done loads of things differently," Ellie replied. Hardy laughed and Ellie smiled, readjusting in her seat. "But here we are, and there's no place I'd rather be." Ellie leaned into Hardy and kissed him gently. He returned the kiss, eventually pulling her out of the driver's seat and into his lap. The morning light was still dim as they snogged for several languid minutes. Ellie reluctantly pulled herself away before glancing out the windows. "Should we go home?"

Hardy groaned a bit to himself as he surveyed the landscape. He grabbed Ellie's wrist to get a look at her watch. "The commuters will be out soon." He pulled Ellie in tight, snogging her deeply. "Drive fast." Ellie couldn't resist reaching down to stroke the front of his trousers before moving back into the driver's seat, eliciting an involuntary noise from inside Hardy's throat. With another quick kiss and a smirk, Ellie started the car and pulled back into the road.

Upon arriving home, Ellie and Hardy opened the front door and entered the house as quietly as they could. They surveyed the dim, quiet house before creeping up the stairs, past the closed doors of the children's bedrooms. They entered their own room, quietly locking the door behind them. Ellie ran her hands over Hardy's shirt, settling around his waist, under his jacket. "You're not in too much pain, are you?" she inquired, pulling him close.

"So long as you don't get too creative, I'm fine," Hardy replied.

"Good," Ellie said, standing up on her toes and planting a kiss on his lips. As they snogged, Ellie reached up to undo Hardy's tie. She pulled it loose before pushing off his jacket. Ellie had been somewhat self-conscious that she'd attended to the scene of a crime and the subsequent follow up wearing the same jeans and jumper she'd worn at home before Alec called her for a ride. He pulled the jumper over her head and discarded it on the floor before she could give it any more thought. Ellie's hands returned to Hardy's shirt, pulling it from his trousers and undoing the buttons. "Jesus," she said after removing his shirt. Hardy followed her gaze to his bruised torso. Ellie gently ran her fingertips over the red and purple splotches covering his ribs. Hardy shivered a bit as she traced her way from his ribs down his abdomen, stopping at his belt. As Ellie undid his trousers, he reached behind her to unclasp her bra. She let go of him long enough for them both to finish undressing themselves.

Hardy pulled Ellie over to the bed. It took him a few moments to arrange himself in a position that wouldn't be too uncomfortable. "Well, this is bloody alluring," he grumbled, shifting into a seated position with his back against the headboard.

Ellie snorted with laughter as she settled on his lap, her arms wrapped behind his neck. "Get used to it. You're none so young," she told him. Hardy tried to protest, but Ellie silenced him with a kiss. She eventually pulled away, taking his face in both hands. "Just tell me if I'm bloody hurting you, okay?" she told him. Hardy nodded before resuming the kiss. They moved carefully together. Ellie let one hand drop to stroke Hardy. She smiled against him as he groaned into her mouth at her touch. Ellie readjusted to guide Hardy inside of her. They initially enjoyed each other's presence without urgency, keeping their movements languid and slow. Their kisses and ministrations deepened as time went on. Hardy moved his hand to touch Ellie until she gasped out. Her lips moved over his jaw and down his neck as he followed moments later.

Ellie lifted her head, only to allow it to fall against Hardy's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her as she enveloped him in a hug. Hardy buried his face into the side of her neck. They stayed together for a long moment, relishing the closeness. "You're bloody magnificent," he muttered into her hair.

A metallic clang from the kitchen caused the both to startle. "Damnit!" Daisy's muffled voice echoed from downstairs.

"Christ," Hardy sighed out as Ellie rolled her eyes. They reluctantly separated from each other, but not before Ellie planted another kiss on his lips. With a gentle brush of his cheek and a smile, they both stood to once again face reality.


End file.
